- Marc Marquez quickest in Australian MotoGP practice
- 'Like Texas': Spain's arid south draws Western film shoots
- With record production, Moldova plum farmers hail EU integration
- Nigerians sacrifice cars as cost of living crisis worsens
- Liverpool face Chelsea title test, Ten Hag fights to avoid sack
- Dodgers roll while Guardians fry Yankees in MLB playoff thriller
- Top Texas court stays execution of autistic man in 'shaken baby' case
- China posts slowest growth in over a year as property woes drag
- Asian markets swing as China economic growth slows
- Pogba's shadow looms over Juve as revitalised Lazio come to town
- 'Unbelievable' Raphinha leading Barca into tricky triple-header
- In-form Marmoush and Frankfurt hope to tackle history at wounded Leverkusen
- Britain's Lammy in China to 'challenge' Beijing on Russia support
- Manila's car counters help address 'world's worst traffic'
- British racing attendances falling behind, says Qatar Racing's manager
- Rain forces cancellation of opening practice for Australian MotoGP
- Dupont 'beyond surprise' for Toulouse's Kinghorn
- Drought forces Big Tech to rethink thirsty LatAm data centers
- Countries under pressure to fork out for nature at UN conference
- Biden, allies in Berlin to renew Gaza truce call after Hamas leader killed
- Guardians rally to fry Yankees in 10 innings in MLB playoff thriller
- World Bank president focused on job creation ahead of annual meetings
- World Bank chief says lender's climate goals likely safe under Trump
- Japan's core inflation rate slows in September
- Israel PM says killing of Hamas chief 'beginning of the end' of Gaza war
- King Charles set to arrive in Australia for landmark tour
- Nadal defeated by 'animal' Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia as career nears end
- US Supreme Court denies stay of execution to Texas man in 'shaken baby' case
- US charges Indian agent over alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist
- Musk stumps for Trump in key US swing state
- TikTok, Facebook approve ads with US election disinformation, study says
- Purdy and 49ers face Chiefs in Super Bowl rematch
- Kenya deputy president ousted in historic impeachment
- Israel military says Sinwar killed in firefight while tracked by drone
- One Direction members 'devastated' by Liam Payne's death
- Norris shrugs off Red Bull 'trick' of the trade at US Grand Prix
- Global stocks climb as ECB cuts rates and tech rebounds
- Chelsea, Lyon ease to wins in Women's Champions League
- China expected to post slowing growth as economic woes drag
- Yamasaki brings keirin world title home as Japan takes two track golds
- Netflix adds millions of subscribers but growth slows
- 'Deeply misguided' to wall US off with tariffs: Yellen
- Biden farewell visit to Berlin focused on Ukraine, Mideast wars
- EU leaders urge new laws to speed up migrant returns
- Sinwar killing a blow to Hamas but impact on war uncertain
- Mitzi Gaynor, star of 'South Pacific,' dies aged 93
- Trump says Zelensky 'should never have let' Ukraine war start
- Harris woos undecided voters as Trump riles critics over Ukraine
- Hayes turns focus to US women's World Cup goal
- Zelensky seeks EU, NATO backing for 'victory plan'
CMSD | -0.52% | 25.02 | $ | |
SCS | 0.53% | 13.21 | $ | |
AZN | -0.37% | 78.02 | $ | |
BTI | -1.22% | 35.37 | $ | |
NGG | -1.41% | 67.19 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.52% | 24.79 | $ | |
BCC | -3.38% | 142.2 | $ | |
GSK | -0.64% | 38.96 | $ | |
BP | 1.25% | 31.32 | $ | |
RIO | -1.32% | 65.09 | $ | |
BCE | 0.03% | 33.49 | $ | |
RBGPF | 0.69% | 60.92 | $ | |
RELX | 0.91% | 48.59 | $ | |
RYCEF | 0.68% | 7.4 | $ | |
VOD | -1.23% | 9.73 | $ | |
JRI | -0.15% | 13.15 | $ |
Pogba's shadow looms over Juve as revitalised Lazio come to town
Paul Pogba's return to the limelight has blindsided Juventus as the France midfielder has whipped up an unwanted publicity storm just as the Serie A giants were preparing to send him packing.
Juve continue their bid for a first league title in five years against in-form Lazio on Saturday night having already moved on from Pogba, who is counting the days until his doping ban ends in March.
With a new manager and a whole cast of new players, including three big money midfielders, Pogba has become an expensive spare wheel Juve were hoping to quietly unload.
But the 31-year-old has been bullish since the Court of Arbitration for Sport slashed to 18 months his initial four-year ban for testing positive for testosterone.
He told Gazzetta Dello Sport during a round of interviews -- apparently not authorised by Juve -- on Wednesday that he wants to stay in Turin even at the cost of cutting his weighty salary.
Since being provisionally suspended in September last year Pogba has been stuck on a minimum wage of just over 2,000 euros ($2,166) a month but his contract is reportedly worth eight million euros a year, plus a potential further two million euros in bonuses.
Those numbers are simply no longer sustainable for Juve, who posted losses of nearly 200 million euros for last season and spent the summer shedding bulk while revamping the team for Thiago Motta.
In the immediate aftermath of CAS's ruling both Motta and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli spoke about Pogba in the past tense, saying that he "was a great player" and further fuelling speculation that his contract will be terminated.
Clearly neither Motta nor Giuntoli expect to see Pogba back in a Juve shirt but will now have to continue to field questions about his future at the club where he made his name over a decade ago.
In the middle of all this third-placed Juve are trying to catch league leaders Napoli, whom they trail by three points with league football set to return after the international break.
Juve are level on 13 points with Lazio and have to contend with a host of injuries, including the long-term absence of Brazil defender Gleison Bremer.
Motta is also without Arkadiusz Milik, Nicolas Gonzalez, Teun Koopmeiners and Weston McKennie for Saturday's match in Turin, while Lazio coach Marco Baroni is sweating on the condition of Pogba's countryman Matteo Guendouzi.
Lazio are another team who have made a break with the past, with Felipe Anderson, Luis Alberto and all-time top scorer Ciro Immobile all gone and veteran Baroni, 61, impressing at the helm in his first big job.
Napoli are favourites to hold on to top spot at Empoli while Inter Milan travel to Roma on Sunday night, when the hosts should have star man Paulo Dybala back from his latest spell on the sidelines injured.
Player to watch: Davide Frattesi
Fresh from yet another positive outing with the national team, Frattesi returns to his home town of Rome set to play against his former club as Nicolo Barella has not fully recovered from a thigh injury picked up during last month's Milan derby defeat.
The 25-year-old Inter star played for both Roma and Lazio during his youth career and came close to signing for the former in 2022, a year before he eventually moved to Inter from Sassuolo.
Frattesi has started more games for Italy than he has for Inter -- four to three -- this season and his runs from deep and eye for goal will be key for the champions.
Fixtures (times GMT)
Saturday
Como v Parma, Genoa v Bologna (1300), AC Milan v Udinese (1600), Juventus v Lazio (1845)
Sunday
Empoli v Napoli (1030), Lecce v Fiorentina, Venezia v Atalanta (1300), Cagliari v Torino (1600), Roma v Inter Milan (1845)
Monday
Verona v Monza (1845)
J.Williams--AMWN