Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra wants “the French team is as much as possible preserved from impacts” of the Paul Pogba case, linked to alleged “extortion attempts” targeting the footballer.
“What pains me and what worries me is if this has an impact on our France team, we are ahead of a major deadline”she reacted, Thursday 1er September, on Europe 1, less than three months from the World Cup in Qatar (November 20-December 18).
” But what reassures me is that we have a Didier Deschamps who, I am sure, will be able to recreate the binder, will be able to reassure, will be able to ease tensions.explained the minister, while the name of striker Kylian Mbappé appears indirectly in the context of this affair. “I am really counting on him to best manage this particular situation within this very fine team”she insisted.
On the merits, she did not wish to comment on this affair, fueled by statements and videos from one of Paul Pogba’s brothers, Mathias Pogba. “The prosecution has decided to open a preliminary investigation, I will not interfere in what is becoming a legal case”did she say.
The preliminary investigation was opened on August 3 for “extortion and attempted extortion in an organized gang”. The investigations were entrusted to the Central Office for the Fight against Organized Crime (OCLO).