Oh brother! It’s a family tie for the Pogba boys
PAUL POGBA could find himself being marked by older brother Florentin when Manchester United welcome St-Etienne in the Europa League on Thursday.
The Pogbas will be the first siblings to face each other at Old Trafford since Rio and Anton Ferdinand met in 2012 and Florentin, 26, has quipped he will happily try to stop his more famous brother at set-pieces.
‘I will take care of the little one. As a big brother, I know if I put on the pressure it is no longer the same,’ he said.
Florentin has mostly played as a centre-back but has recently returned to left-back where he started his career in Spain with Celta Vigo.
‘It helps me to come out with the ball and I like to make good crosses,’ he says.
‘In Spain everything was based on technique, the accuracy of passes and work concerning possession of the ball. On the left side, I liked Jordi Alba and Marcelo.’
Regardless of the result of the last-32 tie, it will be a proud moment for the Pogba parents who emigrated to France from Guinea, the country Florentin and their other son Mathias represent at international level.
Dad Fassou Antoine has been credited with nurturing the successful careers of his three sons.
‘My father always told us to be the best whatever you do. Whatever you say, whatever you think. You always have to think about going as far as possible,’ said Florentin.
St-Etienne are also likely to include midfielder Jordan Veretout who is on loan from Aston Villa.
Rio Ferdinand has made peace with Paul Pogba after criticising the midfielder for posting light-hearted Instagram videos of himself practising goal celebration dances with Jesse Lingard.
Former United centre-half Ferdinand was unimpressed, given United were on a poor run at the time.
But he says he has since spoken to Pogba and acknowledges his complaints were partly a reflection of a generation gap. Ferdinand said: ‘It wouldn’t have been tolerated in my day. But we are in a different era now.
‘My only issue was timing. Timing is key to everything when you put stuff out.’