Sporting Lisbon vs Juventus
UEFA Europa League
Quarter Final
2nd leg
Thursday
20th April 2023
Estadio Jose Alvalade
Szczesny returns under the bar after a scare last week
Wojciech Szczesny returns to Juventus’ starting line-up. The Polish goalkeeper shocked the football world last week by grabbing his chest just before half-time of the game with Sporting Portugal and allowing himself to be replaced, but a week later he is fully available again for Juventus.
Shortly after the first leg in the quarterfinals of the Europa League, there was a positive update about the keeper, who left the field with chest pain and breathing problems. It turned out not to be about his heart and Szczesny himself spoke to the press again after his substitution.
On Wednesday evening, coach Massimiliano Allegri announced that Szczesny will be back against Sporting on Thursday. The goalie was on the bench for the entire match against Sassuolo last weekend. Juventus defends a 1-0 lead against Sporting for a place in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Attempted kidnapping reason for a few playing minutes for Pogba
Paul Pogba has stated in court that the attempted kidnapping of him had a huge impact on his body and injuries. L’Équipe will release that information on Tuesday.
The return of thirty-year-old Pogba to Juventus last summer was not at all what the parties involved will have hoped. Spread over four games, the Frenchman only came into action for De Oude Dame for 46 minutes.
Pogba was questioned a few weeks ago about the extortion case surrounding his person. Five individuals, including his brother Mathias and some childhood friends, were arrested and charged with kidnapping and attempted extortion during an incident in Paris on March 19, 2022.
Earlier, Pogba told police the group pointed guns at him in “a terrifying ordeal,” requiring him to transfer $13 million to “get protection” in the future. “That ordeal had a big impact on my body and injuries,” Pogba said now during the most recent interrogations.
Pogba hopes to return to action against Sporting in the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday. Last weekend he was allowed to participate in the last seven minutes in a 1-0 loss at Sassuolo.
