Pogba is not yet a complete player – Del Piero
Paul Pogba is not yet a complete player and requires time to prove a worthy number 10 at Juventus, according to club legend Alessandro Del Piero.
The Frenchman was awarded the jersey – previously worn by the likes of Michel Platini, Roberto Baggio and Del Piero – for the 2015-16 season following Carlos Tevez’s departure to Boca Juniors.
However, Pogba has struggled for form this term, with the expectations upon him increased after Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal left the club.
And Del Piero, who left Juve in 2012 and retired in 2014, thinks the 22-year-old needs time to mature in order to cope with the demands that come with the famous shirt.
“When we think of the Juventus number 10, we imagine a complete player,” Del Piero said on Sky Sport Italia.
“But today, Pogba isn’t yet – he’s an atypical number 10. You have to give him a bit of time to grow even more.”
Juventus finished second in their Champions League group, missing out on top spot to Manchester City following a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla on Tuesday.
Del Piero is unsure whether they will be able to reach the final of the competition for a second successive season.
“I don’t know if Juventus will return to the Champions League final,” he added.
“It must be said that at the moment Bayern [Munich] and Barcelona are unreachable, but who knows if they have a small decline.”