LILLE — Juventus star Paul Pogba finds himself at the eye of a storm as Euro 2016 host France prepares to face Switzerland in its final Group A game here Sunday.
Dropped for Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Albania in Marseille, Pogba came on at half-time and helped set up the second goal for Dimtri Payet deep into stoppage time with a trademark crossfield pass.
But his reaction — an explicit pump of the arm, apparently directed at the press box — caused a scandal and, despite the 23-year-old apologizing, it has placed him squarely in the media crosshairs.
The France players who have faced the press since have done their best to dilute the controversy, Pogba’s midfield colleague N’Golo Kante saying: “I didn’t see this gesture that everyone’s talking about. I was celebrating the second goal.”
Center-back Samuel Umtiti, meanwhile, protested: “I’m not someone who looks at the press.”
Nevertheless, with France already assured of a last 16 place, coach Didier Deschamps can expect the matter to be at the top of the agenda when he meets the press.
Broadcasters beIN Sports elected not to show footage of the incident out of a desire to avoid controversy, but video images quickly circulated on social media, undermining Pogba’s explanation, in a statement sent to AFP, that he was just doing his “usual dance.”
Pogba can at least look forward to a return to the starting XI against Switzerland, along with Antoine Griezmann, who came off the bench to score the crucial opening goal against Albania.
With Kante and Olivier Giroud both at risk of suspension, Yohan Cabaye and Andre-Pierre Gignac could come into the team as well, with Deschamps expected to revert to a 4-3-3 formation.
Deschamps will be keen for France to avoid a repeat of the fate that befell them at Euro 2012, when, under Laurent Blanc, a 2-0 loss to Sweden in their last group game condemned ‘Les Bleus’ to a quarterfinal encounter with eventual champion Spain.
With France two points clear of second-place Switzerland, a draw will guarantee it top spot in the group and with it a last 16 tie against the third-place team in Group C, D or E.
Seizing on the Pogba controversy, Switzerland’s official Twitter account wrote on Friday: “Hey France, Pogba’s not your problem. WE are your problem!“
Vladimir Petkovic’s side beat Albania 1-0 in its opening game before drawing 1-1 with Romania and require only a point to secure one of the two automatic qualifying positions.
But Admir Mehmedi, who scored Switzerland’s equalizer against Romania in Paris, said: “We want to win, that’s clear. We won’t be happy just to play for a draw.”
Do-or-die fixture
After a couple of solid defensive performances in defeats by Switzerland and France, Albania needs to discover some scoring form against Romania, its Italian coach Gianni De Biasi said ahead of Sunday’s vital Euro 2016 Group A fixture.
The Albanians held its own for long spells in the opening 1-0 loss to the Swiss and conceded late goals in a 2-0 reverse against host France, but they created precious little up front in either match.
The Romanians also need to win the do-or-die fixture in Lyon to keep alive any hopes of progressing after a fortuitous 1-1 draw against the Swiss which followed a 2-1 defeat by France.
Romania’s Razvan Rat, midfielder Bogdan Stancu, the nation’s first player to score twice in a European Championship, and Mihai Pintilii are all expected to shake off minor knocks.
Andone, dropped for the Swiss game after he was substituted against the French, could return to the starting line-up against the Albanians after his replacement Claudiu Keseru had a quiet game against Switzerland.
“We must show the mentality of winners against Albania,” Andone told Romania’s Digi Sport television.
“It will be very difficult because Albania are a very good team, they run a lot and are very aggressive.
“But we are aware that a victory could send us through so we will give it a 100 percent effort.”
