The National's Sport cover for the Saturday, June 6 issue, featuring Paul Pogba of Juventus on the day of the Champions League final against Barcelona.
Juve are the heavy underdogs to lift the European Cup, but Richard Jolly writes that if anything gives them a chance, it's the singularly talented and in-demand Pogba:
“The talent differential makes his role on Saturday night complex.
“Pogba spent some of the semi-final second leg against Real Madrid as, in effect, a left-sided midfielder, sitting in front of full-back Patrice Evra as Juve’s central diamond became an orthodox quartet.
“His athleticism will be required if Juventus are to counter-attack, while his quality offers the prospect that a less-gifted team could upset the odds and beat the red-hot favourites.”
Meanwhile Andy Mitten writes that, Pogba or not, Barcelona – and Lionel Messi – are too good to pass up their own shot at the treble:
“Barcelona will win a fifth European Cup in Berlin on Saturday night because they are a better team, with superior players, than their opponents Juventus.
“They also have Messi – back to being the world’s finest player – in tremendous form.”
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