© EuroFootball.com
One of the most promising players on the planet, Paul Pogba, has received an invitation to give an interview to the largest Italian newspaper "La Gazzetta dello Sport."
The rising star of Turin's "Juventus" touched on various topics in an open conversation with journalists and challenged the Madrid "Real" team, with whom there is an upcoming clash in the UEFA Champions League.
It is no secret that the rapidly progressing French national team midfielder is being closely watched by the wealthiest clubs in Europe, but the player himself does not hide his ambition to continue winning trophies with Juventus.
"Fans are afraid that I will leave 'Juve'? I am still nobody. What have I achieved? To be honest, nothing," reflected the 20-year-old Frenchman.
"Every day in training I see Andrea Pirlo and Gianluigi Buffon, so I understand perfectly what it takes to become a true champion. They have achieved everything and are unparalleled, but during training they do not allow themselves a moment to rest."
Asked if he dreams of spending his entire career at Juventus, P. Pogba remained diplomatic: "I don't want to lie, so I won't make promises that sound foolish today. How can I define my whole career right now? It's simply impossible."
"I will say this much - at the moment I am infinitely happy in Turin and I love this club, its leaders, coaches, team-mates and fans. Right now, I can't imagine myself in the shirt of another club."
P. Pogba joined Juventus in the summer of 2012, when he turned down the offer to extend his contract with Manchester United and became a free agent.
"Why did I choose Italy? Serie A is a university of football, especially advanced in game strategy. A midfielder who has paved his way in Italy can hope to become the best in the world. I told myself: 'Paul, the shortest path to success lies through Italy'. And then I received a call from Juventus, one of the strongest clubs in Europe," admitted the French midfielder.
"I was lucky to face Antonio Conte (Juventus head coach, ed.). I am progressing every day. Conte works hard, demands, is always dissatisfied, hungry, striving for one thing - victories. I couldn't ask for a better teacher at this stage of my career."
Asked about his football idols, P. Pogba replied: "At first, I idealized Kaka (AC Milan midfielder, ed.). I also modeled my style of play after Yaya Toure (Manchester City midfielder, ed.) and Abou Diaby (Arsenal midfielder, ed.)."
"In Turin, I look up to Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, and Arturo Vidal. During every training session, I try to learn something from them. By having Claudio's technique, Arturo's aggression, and Andrea's elegant movement on the field, one can become a perfect midfielder."
In the UEFA Champions League, Juventus is preparing for a true football festivity clash against the tournament favorites, Real Madrid players, whom the young Frenchman is not afraid of at all.
"We have to take points from Real. We will leave the group after beating them at least once, so I'm not worried at all. We are Juventus and we must not forget that. The history, prestige, and authority of the club surpass all. That's why I don't feel any fear before the upcoming match with the Real team. Juventus is on par with the strongest clubs in Europe. We can beat the Spanish," he said.
Journalists from Gazzetta dello Sport also asked the Frenchman to share his thoughts on racism in Italy.
"Insults using the word 'negro' are accepted everywhere - in Italy, France, England, Spain, and even in Africa, there are different forms of racism," said the Juventus midfielder. - People often talk about things they don't understand, solely out of arrogance. We need to pay more attention to this issue."
"In the future, I would like to get more involved in the fight against racism," P. Pogba emphasized.
