Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri says that all the pressure is on Paul Pogba to prove himself worthy of the clubs coveted No.10 jersey.
The 22-year-old Frenchman has been nothing short of spectacular since joining the Bianconeri from Manchester United in 2012, playing a pivotal role in three successive Scudetto’s.
Pogba has now taken the No.10 shirt, following the departure of Argentinian Carlos Tevez. Allegri says that he must do justice to a jersey previously worn by club icons like Roberto Baggio, Fabio Capello and Alessandro Del Piero.
“Paul asked to wear No.10,” the Bianconeri boss told reporters on Thursday. “In this sense, he will
have the greatest responsibility [of all of Juve’s players].
“Wearing this number will not be an easy thing because this jersey has been worn by the great players of Juventus.”
Previously there were rumours that link the Old Lady with the likes of Schalke midfielder Julian Draxler and Bayern Munich’s Mario Gotze, both German internationals. It looks like they found a solution internally and deemed Pogba worthy of the jersey.
The questions on a few Juventini’s minds are, does he deserve the jersey, considering only the greatest of the greats have donned that number for Juventus.
Paul Pogba was heavily linked with a move away from Juventus this past season, leaving question marks on his future. Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Chelsea were just a few of the bigger clubs eyeing him. Jose Mourinho is a big fan of the Frenchman.
“I think everybody has an interest in Pogba,” the Chelsea coach told reporters, “but there are things you can do and things you cannot do. I love the Eiffel Tower but I can’t have the Eiffel Tower in my garden. I can’t even have the Eiffel Tower of Las Vegas!”
This could be a tactical ploy by the Juventus staff, give the future of the club everything he wants to tie him down for an even longer time, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Pogba does not demonstrate what Michel Platini did at Juventus during his tenure.
Nobody earns the No.10 unless they play for the name at the front of the jersey and not the back, although Pogba has demonstrated this already, it still remains to be seen if he fully earns it, but once this season is up; EVERY Juventus fan will believe he deserves it.
The Frenchman previously wore the No.6 jersey but come Saturday at the Supercoppa Italiana clash with Lazio, he will don his new number.
By: Joseph Genova
@joegenovaa
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