“The nightmare is over.” Paul Pogba did not hide his happiness after the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reduce his suspension for doping from four years to 18 months. But the French international (91 caps, 11 goals), who will be 32 on March 15, will now tackle other challenges, and not the least important ones. And if he will already have to clarify his future while Juve is working on a contract termination by mutual agreement, “La Pioche” will also be forced to work to become a professional footballer again. A mission which risks being marked by some mountains to overcome.
Paul Pogba has not set foot on the pitch since September 4, 2023 at Empoli (2-0), where he played for half an hour, two weeks after his positive doping test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Since then, while he will be authorized to replay in official competitions on March 11 or 12, 2025, the former Le Havre resident has continued to train alone, even if he also took advantage of this suspension to travel. But during this period, he no longer had access to Juve’s facilities.
Paul Pogba
Credit: Getty Images
Multiple challenges ahead
So will he be able to find his best level again and become the Paul Pogba we knew? If his talent with the ball, his playing intelligence and his vision have obviously not disappeared – we are still talking about an “extraordinary player” as summed up by Massimiliano Allegri -, the uncertainties relate in particular to the athletic level. “Everything is possible in football“, launches Nicolas Dyon, physical trainer of Borussia M’Gladbach, “There are definitely risks. But now it’s possible“, confirms Robert Duverne, the former trainer of the French team in particular. Risks because such a break cannot remain without consequences for his body.
Although he worked hard to maintain himself, Paul Pogba was not able to fully compensate for the absence of competition. And his body has lost certain habits, which risks exposing him when he returns. “Unfortunately, he will have to deal with certain things, such as muscle injuries.confirms Nicolas Dyon. Individual training does not replace the intensity of a high-level match. So, indirectly, there are certain muscle groups that are more exposed to injury, that have not worked in different contraction modes, at different speeds related to competition. So, obviously, these muscles will be exposed when he resumes.”
The former physical trainer for Saint-Étienne, Nice and Rennes compares this to recovering after a cruciate ligament rupture. “Even if the rehabilitation of a player after such an injury has gone well as has the intervention or if he has regained all his flexion, his muscular potential, the month following his return we know that he is 70- 80% chance of contracting a muscle injury”, says Nicolas Dyon, which is not necessarily positive when we know that Paul Pogba has had multiple physical problems in recent years, who was only able to play 213 minutes between August 2022 and September 2023.
Back on the field soon? Paul Pogba
Credit: SID
You need to know where he is psychologically
In order not to miss any stages and not put himself in danger, Pogba, the great architect of the world title won by the Blues in Russia in 2018, will have to do a complete check-up to determine the program that awaits him. “There is a new profiling to be done of the player to know where he is today. What has he been doing since he was suspended? What were his injuries? We make a general report“, says Robert Duverne, OL physical trainer for twenty years. And if his physical assessment will be decisive, there is one aspect that will also be crucial in this recovery: the mental.
Between his suspension, his injuries and his extra-sporting affairs, Paul Pogba has not been spared in recent years. And when it comes time to become a professional footballer again, he will have to be able to take stock. “You have to know where he is psychologically. This is very important. This is the starting point to have with him. Because I think the biggest shock is here“, estimate Duverne. “The central point is his mental stateconfirms Nicolas Dyon, Is he ready to step out of his comfort zone? Is he vengeful? Is he mentally liberated? Are all his extra-sporting problems behind him? If yes, I think he is capable of regaining his level because he is not very old.”
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The importance of quickly settling your case with Juve
While the CAS only authorized him to return to collective training from January, Paul Pogba will however quickly have to find a new base if he leaves Juve. “Today, he has to go and kick the ball as quickly as possible. So, you have to find where and how he is going to kick the ball. And as soon as he finds one, we can base his preparation on that“, says Robert Duverne. Because nothing replaces the game. And in his misfortune, Paul Pogba also knows that he now has a long period to gain strength before his possible resumption next March.
“He can also change gear now. And change intensity. This long period is great, remarks Nicolas Dyon. He may have sessions, periods of passage, he has time ahead of him. For me, having a specific date can give him motivation. The person who will take care of him will have time to set intermediate goals for him.“.
Afterwards, it will be time to tackle the matches. And that will obviously be another story. “Shopping in a controlled way is good. But that doesn’t replace the work, the integrated efforts that we make in matches. When there is the ball, the opponents, the tactical choices, the fatigue that sets in… All these parameters which mix make the risk increase“, warns the Gladbach coach once again. But when these risks present themselves, Paul Pogba will have already seen the end of the tunnel. And put his nightmare in the closet once and for all.
