Paul Pogba resists Jose Mourinho temptation as paths set to cross again

Paul Pogba gave a respectful answer when quizzed on the prospect of facing Jose Mourinho during the fast-approaching Serie A season, suggesting the tensions between the pair have eased.

Pogba and Mourinho endured a spectacular falling out at Manchester United which reportedly involved the latter branding his player "a virus". France international Pogba, 29, has subsequently returned to Juventus after six years at Old Trafford and suggested his relationships with his managers contributed to his inconsistency in a United shirt.

The midfielder will come face to face with Mourinho once again in the third round of Serie A fixtures at the end of August, when Juventus host Roma at the Allianz Stadium. Pogba was asked about what it will be like to face his former boss during his introductory press conference.

However, rather than aim a barb at the Portuguese, he gave a magnanimous response by saying he will aim to "win every game", regardless of whether it is against Mourinho's "great" Roma side - who won last season's Europa Conference League - or Simone Inzaghi's Inter Milan.

"I think we'll face Mourinho already on the third match day," Pogba said. "That's when we'll face Roma, who are a great team. To be honest, I haven't thought of Mourinho. I've been thinking about winning every game. I would be extremely happy if we beat Mourinho, and Inzaghi, anybody. I just want to win."

Pogba enjoyed a brilliant first spell at Juve between 2012 and 2016, winning four consecutive league titles and the Coppa Italia twice. He failed to replicate that success at United, although the club's last major honours - the EFL Cup and Europa League - came while he and Mourinho were with the Red Devils in 2017.

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Juve maintained their dominance of Italian football immediately after Pogba's departure but let their stranglehold on the title slip two seasons ago, when Inter Milan usurped them to claim the Scudetto. Last campaign, it was the turn of Inter's local rivals AC Milan, as Juve finished an underwhelming fourth to claim the final Champions League spot.

Pogba will hope to restore the Bianconeri to the glory days of old and he has signed a lucrative four-year contract in Turin. He flew to Italy from Miami at the end of last week and underwent a medical on Saturday before the move was confirmed.

During his first stint with Juve, he scored 34 goals and grabbed 40 assists in 177 appearances in all competitions. Pogba is expected to be one of the first names on the team sheet under manager Massimiliano Allegri in the challenging season to come for the Old Lady.