Paul Pogba
Paul Pogba's return to the pitch delayed
Former Manchester United star Paul Pogba's much-anticipated return to football has been delayed as his comeback match in Dubai was postponed at the last minute.
The French midfielder, who had been serving an 18-month ban after a doping test failure, was set to resume his career with Juventus. However, he will not be continuing with the Italian club.
He returned to Juventus in 2022 after his contract with Manchester United ended, but his first season back was marred by injuries. His provisional ban came just weeks into the 2023-24 season, and his official suspension followed months later. Juventus subsequently terminated his contract.
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Despite always maintaining that any use of banned substances was unintentional, the 31-year-old has been focusing on his fitness ahead of his return to the sport. He was scheduled to play in the King's Cup match in Dubai, but the game was cancelled at short notice, much to the disappointment of fans.
The King's Cup was set to take place at Al Maktoum Stadium on Saturday and Pogba was expected to join a host of former stars on the pitch, including ex-England players John Terry and Paul Scholes, as well as World Cup winners Roberto Carlos and David Silva, according to the Visit Dubai website.
The postponement of the King's Cup Dubai was confirmed on Tuesday. A statement on Instagram read: "We regret to inform you that the King's Cup Dubai has been rescheduled to February 2025 due to unforeseen circumstances. For refunds, please visit the Platinumlist website and follow the instructions for your ticket. We will announce the specific dates for the rescheduled event soon, so please stay tuned for updates. Thank you for your understanding and support."
Fans expressed their disappointment with comments such as "Dude I literally have been counting days to see Pogba. WHY?," while another said organisers had "killed a fan's happiness by hitting it right on it's head with a hammer."
Another wrote: "I was incredibly excited about the opportunity to meet and watch the football players. While the players themselves were prepared and even shared a video confirming their participation. You didn't explain why it was cancelled and what happened. Just a refund doesn't make anything better?"
After his ban was reduced in October, Pogba spoke about his eagerness to return to football after ending a "nightmare" period. He will be free to find a new club after leaving Juve on Saturday, with suitors in Europe and further afield being linked.
"Following the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again," he expressed in October. "I always stated that I never knowingly breached World Anti-Doping Agency regulations when I took a nutritional supplement prescribed to me by a doctor, which does not affect or enhance the performance of male athletes."
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