A club statement has revealed that Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is set for another lay-off after suffering a thigh injury while taking free-kicks in training.
The 29-year-old will be out for about three weeks and will miss the start of France’s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign according to the statement.
The Frenchman missed Sunday’s 4-2 win over Sampdoria after being dropped for Juve’s Europa League win over Freiburg last week.
Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri revealed after Sunday’s game that Pogba felt a twinge in his adductor while taking freekicks.
Pogba underwent a medical test on Monday and results showed that he suffered a low-grade tear to his right thigh adductor.
The statement added that he has already started with the rehabilitation process aimed at resuming competitive activity.
Juve have the return leg against Freiburg on Thursday, with Pogba having been dropped for the first game after being late for a team meeting last Wednesday.
Pogba has only made two substitute appearances since rejoining Juve from Manchester United last summer, with the first of those coming on 28 February.
The 2018 World Cup winner suffered a knee injury in pre-season but initially opted not to get an operation, fearing it would rule him out of last year’s World Cup.
He was later deemed to need surgery anyway and, although he returned to the Juve squad in January, he suffered another muscular problem that further delayed his return to action.
France will begin their Group B fixtures against the Netherlands at the Stade de France on Friday, 24 March, before the World Cup runners-up visit the Republic of Ireland three days later.
Juve’s first game after the international break is at home to Hellas Verona on 1 April.