ROME: Thiago Motta refused on Saturday to say whether Paul Pogba had a future at Juventus after the France midfielder’s four-year doping ban was slashed to 18 months.
Pogba, a World Cup winner with Les Bleus in 2018, will be able to return to competitive football from March 11 next year following Friday’s ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Italian media report that Juve might still seek to terminate Pogba’s contract, which runs until the end of June 2026 and is reportedly worth up to 10 million euros ($10.97 million) a season.
“The club will assess the situation and make a decision if necessary. Paul was a great player but he hasn’t played for a long time,” coach Motta told reporters ahead of Sunday’s Serie A fixture with Cagliari.
“All I’m thinking about is our match tomorrow, nothing else really matters as far as I’m concerned.”
Juventus refused to comment on Pogba, who tested positive for testosterone following the Turin club’s opening Serie A fixture of last season, a 3-0 win at Udinese in August 2023.
He was provisionally suspended the following month and then banned for four years by the Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunal in February, a sanction which put the 31-year-old’s career at risk.
Pogba’s representatives said the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Pogba collected four Serie A titles in his first stint at Juventus between 2012 and 2016 but had a string of problems on and off the pitch after his 2022 return from Manchester United.
During the 2022-23 season, Pogba made just 10 appearances for the club, mainly due to a knee injury that also ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar, where France lost out to Argentina in the final in December 2022.
He was also the victim of a case of organized extortion, for which six men, including his brother Mathias, were last month ordered to stand trial.
Since Pogba last played for his club at Empoli in early September last year, Juve have switched manager from Massimiliano Allegri to Motta and brought in a host of new players as part of a rebuild.
Juve, who finished third last term without Pogba, splashed out over 120 million euros on midfielders Teun Koopmeiners, Douglas Luiz and Khephren Thuram in a busy summer on the transfer market.
Motta tight-lipped on Pogba’s Juve future after doping ban reduction
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Motta tight-lipped on Pogba’s Juve future after doping ban reduction
- Pogba, a World Cup winner with Les Bleus in 2018, will be able to return to competitive football from March 11 next year
- “The club will assess the situation and make a decision if necessary. Paul was a great player but he hasn’t played for a long time,” coach Motta told reporters
Belal Muhammad confident vs. Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315
The UFC is back in Montreal for the first time in a decade on Saturday night with a pair of title fights, which includes welterweight champion Belal Muhammad and No. 5-ranked Australian challenger Jack Della Maddalena topping the 12-fight card for UFC 315.
Muhammad is making his first title defense after suffering an injury late last year. Muhammad upset former champion Leon Edwards last July in the main event of UFC 304 to usher in a new era at 170 pounds.
Muhammad, a Chicago native, said Thursday that Della Maddalena will see a new version none of Muhammad’s previous opponents have seen before: “Canelo Hands.”
“Jack goes down in three ,” Muhammad told reporters at the pre-fight presser.
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed Muhammad is in the mix for a potential super-fight against former featherweight champion Ilia Topuria or UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev if he were to be victorious. Former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira also is in the conversation for a title shot, barring possible outcomes.
“That’s pretty accurate,” White said.
Della Maddalena didn’t take too kindly to Muhammad’s words, dismissing the notion that Muhammad won’t use his potent wrestling base to win the fight.
“That’s not gonna happen,” Della Maddalena said.
Della Maddalena hasn’t lost in nine years, compiling an unblemished UFC mark after earning a UFC contract by winning his Dana White Contender Series bout against Ange Loosa in September 2021.
The co-headliner sees Valentina Shevchenko begin her second stint as UFC flyweight champion against French native Manon Fiorot. Shevchenko exacted revenge last September against Alexa Grasso to regain the belt. Meanwhile, Fiorot looks to become the first Frenchwoman to win a UFC title and extend her promotional win streak to eight.
The rest of the card features a mix of former champions, veterans and top prospects.
The main card festivities get underway at 10 p.m. ET/5 a.m. KSA time.
Main card:
• Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena, welterweight — Muhammad’s UFC welterweight title
• Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot, flyweight — Shevchenko’s UFC flyweight title
• Jose Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi, bantamweight
• Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva, flyweight
• Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Kyle Prepolec, lightweight
• Field Level Media
Keith Mitchell opens with 61, leads Truist Championship
- Mitchell stayed hot on the front nine with a 6-under 29 coming in, including four straight birdies at Nos. 5-8
- The Philadelphia Cricket Club is serving as a temporary host for the $20 million signature event while Quail Hollow prepares to host the PGA Championship next week
FLOURTOWN, Pennsylvania: Keith Mitchell used a late birdie run to shoot a 9-under-par 61 and take the early lead at the Truist Championship on Thursday in Flourtown, Pennsylvania.
Mitchell started his first round at the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s Wissahickon Course on the back nine and parred his first five holes. After birdieing Nos. 15, 17 and 18, he stayed hot on the front nine with a 6-under 29 coming in, including four straight birdies at Nos. 5-8.
At day’s end, it was only good for a one-stroke lead over Denny McCarthy. Tied for third at 7-under 63 are Collin Morikawa, Rickie Fowler, Akshay Bhatia and Austria’s Sepp Straka.
McCarthy had a five-birdie run, Fowler posted a front-nine 29 and Morikawa went bogey-free in his first competitive round with new caddie Joe Greiner as the Wissahickon Course made its PGA Tour debut. The Philadelphia Cricket Club is serving as a temporary host for the $20 million signature event while Quail Hollow prepares to host the PGA Championship next week.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry and US Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley were part of a tie for seventh at 6-under 64. A massive tie at 65 included Patrick Cantlay, Harris English, Tony Finau, Russell Henley, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and South Korea’s Si Woo Kim.
Rory McIlroy is the four-time champion of the event at Quail Hollow, including last year, and he managed an opening 66 with six birdies and two bogeys. Justin Thomas, Max Homa and Will Zalatoris are among those tied with him at 66.
Only five players failed to shoot even par or better, including Canada’s Adam Hadwin (1-over 71) and Lucas Glover (2-over 72). There will be no cut after 36 holes.
Jeeno Thitikul happy to see putts go in and lead at Liberty National with a 64
- Thitikul was bogey-free at Liberty National and had the advantage of playing in the morning with virtually no wind on the course across the Hudson River from Manhattan
- Defending champion Nelly Korda had six birdies — three of them on the par 5s — to account for a few bogeys on her front nine and finished in the group at 68
JERSEY CITY, N.J.: Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand feels so much better when she sees putts going in, and Thursday was a happy occasion at the Mizuho Americas Open. She took only 26 putts, eight of them for birdie, in a clean start of 8-under 64 to lead by two shots.
Thitikul was bogey-free at Liberty National and had the advantage of playing in the morning with virtually no wind on the course across the Hudson River from Manhattan.
She finished strong, dropping a short iron into 5 feet on the 17th and judging the distance perfectly on the closing hole with a shot that stayed below the hole and left her only about 3 feet for birdie.
Celine Boutier of France ran off five straight birdies in the middle of her round to account for not taking advantage of the par 5s. She was at 66 with Hye-Jin Choi of South Korea and Lindy Duncan, who lost in a five-way playoff at the Chevron Championship two weeks ago.
“I think my putter working well, better than Chevron week,” said Thitikul, the No. 2 player in the women’s world ranking.
She opened with rounds of 71-75 at the Chevron Championship, the first major of the LPGA season. Thitikul took off last week and devoted a lot of time to her putting, almost to a fault. She found her emotions going all over the place depending on the result.
“First couple days I’ve been back home and I putt a lot, a ton,” she said. “I feel good when I see it drop but I feel bad when I see it miss. ... And I was like, ‘No, you can’t be like this.’ It’s in or it’s not. It has to be the same feelings and emotion.
“I just going to putt less and think less. That’s pretty much I want to do,” she said. “Because mental-wise, pretty important to see all putts in. I don’t want to be so tight and tense.”
Besides, she felt the greens were tough for everyone at the major.
“We’re here, hit it good, and also making the putts,” Thitikul said after her 11th round of 64 or lower over the last four seasons.
Defending champion Nelly Korda had six birdies — three of them on the par 5s — to account for a few bogeys on her front nine and finished in the group at 68.
Korda, the No. 1 player in women’s golf by a big margin, has yet to win this year. She won the Mizuho Americas Open a year ago for her sixth victory of the season. Her game hasn’t been as sharp this year, and Korda is more interested in looking ahead.
“Just got to focus on what my game plan was last year — that was one shot at a time, not to get ahead of myself,” Korda said. “I know at the beginning of the year I had a lot to defend, but I think that instead of putting pressure on myself I should be happy that I was in that moment, that I did achieve all that great success. So just go out here and do what I love.”
The group at 67 included Haeran Ryu of South Korea, coming off a victory last week at the Black Desert Championship in Utah that elevated her to No. 5 in the world. Her round included a bogey on her final hole.
Clasico the last chance saloon for Ancelotti’s Real Madrid
- The nature of Madrid’s rivalry with Barcelona means winning La Liga could either feel great or underwhelming
BARCELONA: Real Madrid’s season appeared disastrous a few weeks ago but if Carlo Ancelotti’s side can finally beat rivals Barcelona in Sunday’s La Liga Clasico, their title defense will be resuscitated.
Madrid were left licking their wounds after a Champions League quarter-final thrashing by Arsenal, and coach Ancelotti is poised to depart at the end of the season, but it could yet be with a major trophy in his hands.
Barcelona’s European exit at the hands of Inter Milan on Tuesday brightened spirits in the Spanish capital and if Madrid can overhaul the Catalans at the top of the table, they could transform their season.
The nature of Madrid’s rivalry with Barcelona means winning La Liga could either feel great or underwhelming, depending on how their nemesis fares in Europe.
With Barcelona’s quadruple dream crushed by Inter, should Madrid defend their title they could even classify their season as a success.
The Catalans, who currently lead by four points with four matches remaining, would be left with only the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, both of which they won by beating Real Madrid in the final.
To do that Madrid must manage something they have not been able to pull off all season — winning a Clasico.
“We will have a great opportunity, we have to prepare well — it’s an almost decisive match,” said Ancelotti.
The teams have faced off three times and Barcelona triumphed on each occasion, in the two aforementioned finals and in the first league clash at the Santiago Bernabeu in October.
Barcelona netted 12 goals across the four games, conceding four, with Hansi Flick’s side outplaying Madrid on each occasion.
However their meeting in Seville in April in the Copa del Rey final was the closest Ancelotti’s team have come.
Madrid took the game to extra-time and their Italian coach discovered a set-up which allowed his team to take Barca to the wire.
Operating in the second half with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe as the forward, and Rodrygo Goes substituted, Madrid found the balance they have badly lacked at times this season.
“The last match was competitive, we were very close to winning and I don’t think we have to invent a lot of new things ,” said Ancelotti.
“We have to try and play a serious game, and we will do so with all the confidence in the world.
“Despite all our problems, the fact we are here and we can fight in this match is something beautiful.”
Last weekend against Celta Vigo Ancelotti also afforded Turkish 20-year-old Arda Guler a rare start and he impressed in midfield, providing impetus which the retired Toni Kroos gave last season, as Madrid won a La Liga and Champions League double.
Guler also impressed as a substitute in the Copa final and Ancelotti may start him at the Olympic stadium this weekend.
“At Madrid you have to suck it up on the bench before you become an indisputable start in this team — Arda has the profile of a player who could be a starter at Madrid,” said Ancelotti.
“He sucked it up on the bench, he didn’t get annoyed and he has evolved... he’s not the same Guler from last September.”
Atletico Madrid’s Norwegian target man has played a key role off the bench this season but in the final weeks of the campaign, coach Diego Simeone is giving him more chances from the start. He is set to lead the line against his former side Real Sociedad on Saturday.
8 — league games without a win for relegation-battling Leganes ahead of their key clash against Espanyol on Sunday.
25 — goals for La Liga top scorer, Barca’s Robert Lewandowski, with Mbappe trailing by one.
91 — times Barca have found the net this season in the top flight, no other side has reached 70.
Friday
Las Palmas v Rayo Vallecano
Saturday
Valencia v Getafe , Celta Vigo v Sevilla , Girona v Villarreal, Mallorca v Valladolid , Atletico Madrid v Real Sociedad
Sunday
Leganes v Espanyol , Barcelona v Real Madrid , Athletic Bilbao v Alaves , Real Betis v Osasuna
Chelsea ease past Djurgarden to reach Conference League final
LONDON: Chelsea advanced to the final of the UEFA Conference League after a 1-0 win over Swedish side Djurgarden on Thursday sealed a 5-1 aggregate victory in their last-four tie.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall struck the only goal at Stamford Bridge late in the first half on a night 16-year-old Reggie Walsh became the youngest player to start a European game for Chelsea.
The Blues can become the first club to win all three of UEFA’s current competitions if they beat either two-time runners-up Fiorentina or Real Betis in Wroclaw on May 28.
Defender Marc Cucurella was the only player retained from the team that beat Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend as manager Enzo Maresca made sweeping changes to his line-up with an eye on Sunday’s crucial game at Newcastle.
The Italian has been criticized for his cautious tactics but he has fifth-placed Chelsea on course to qualify for the Champions League via a top-five finish in England.
Teenage midfielder Walsh made his debut off the bench in the 4-1 win in Stockholm a week ago as Chelsea seized control of the tie, but that result didn’t deter some 6,000 Djurgarden fans from making the trip to London for the second leg.
Dewsbury-Hall and Tyrique George forced saves from Djurgarden goalkeeper Jacob Rinne before the two Chelsea players combined to put the hosts in front in the 38th minute.
George threaded a pass through for Dewsbury-Hall who accelerated past a couple of defenders before sweeping in a crisp finish via the base of the post.
That goal killed off any remote hopes for Djurgarden, the first Swedish club to appear in a European semifinal since Gothenburg won the 1986-87 UEFA Cup.
Dewsbury-Hall had a chance to double his tally when he headed Malo Gusto’s cross straight at Rinne, but the visitors rarely threatened with the exception of a long-range shot from Daniel Stensson that was tipped over by Filip Jorgensen.
Chelsea haven’t won a major trophy since the 2021 Champions League, but they will be strong favorites to win their first silverware since Todd Boehly’s consortium took over from Roman Abramovich three years ago.
