In Focus: Pogba's latest injury threatens relationship with Old Lady

Paul Pogba's first season back at Juventus has been nothing short of a disaster. 

The World Cup winner returned to the Italian giants last summer on a free transfer but has only managed to make ten appearances this season, with nine coming from the bench. 

He was selected for his first start against Cremonese on Sunday, only to succumb to a thigh problem that threatens to keep him out for the remainder of the campaign. 

Ahead of the away leg of Juventus' Europa League semi-final against Sevilla, we take a look at Pogba's miserable campaign and his future.

Unhappy reunion

After ending an ultimately disappointing six-season spell at Manchester United last summer, Pogba returned to the club where he had reached the greatest heights. 

Between 2012 and 2016, the midfielder was a vital part of a Juventus team that won four Serie A titles and the Coppa Italia twice. 

It was little wonder that both player and club were keen on a reunion. Pogba signed a three-year contract thought to be worth in the region of £8.5million per season. 

Yet the problems started almost immediately. He injured his knee in pre-season and then just as he was close to recovery, picked up a thigh problem. 

These injuries ensured that Pogba did not play a single minute of football prior to the World Cup and unsurprisingly he was left out of France's squad. 

His first appearance for Juve did not come until late February when he came on as a second-half substitute in the derby match against Torino. 

A string of appearances from the bench have followed, which included a successful cameo against Sevilla in which he assisted a last-minute equaliser that saw Juventus draw 1-1. 

That earned him a start against Cremonese which lasted just 24 minutes and saw him leave the field in tears. 

161 minutes

Pogba's time at United was frequently punctuated by injuries, with the playmaker being ruled out of 100 games during his second spell at Old Trafford. 

Yet there was nothing to quite compare to the season that he has endured at Juventus. In total, he has played just 161 minutes. 

Though he took a major pay cut when he left United, he is still paid a lavish salary by the Italians. 

So far it works out that the Old Lady have paid him around £53,000 for every minute spent on the pitch. 

The latest injury is expected to keep Pogba out for at least 20 days, which would rule him out for the rest of the Serie A campaign and the Europa League final. 

Max Allegri's team have found form in recent weeks, but suffered a torrid start to the season. 

The disruption was in no small part caused by the absence of a player who was expected to be a key figure in the side. 

Future plans

If Pogba is ruled out for the season as expected, it poses some big questions for Juventus. 

The game against Cremonese was the Frenchman's first start since picking up a calf injury for United against Liverpool in April 2022. 

That means that he has essentially been unfit for over a year. Now 30 years old, there is serious reason to doubt whether he will ever be a regular starter again. 

There is now a long period for Juventus to try and rebuild Pogba's fitness before next season. As much as he has achieved over the years, these will be among the most crucial months of his career.