Paul Pogba has insisted he is not a cheater after his doping ban was reduced earlier this month and has targeted a return to the French team when his suspension expires in March.

Former Manchester United midfielder Pogba was banned for four years in March after being provisionally suspended since September last year after testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

After a lengthy appeal process, the 31-year-old had his suspension reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on October 4 and he will be able to resume his career in March.

Juventus are third in Serie A after seven games, three points behind leaders Napoli and second favorite with most bookmakers behind Inter to win the title this season. A return to action for Pogba could convince anyone interested sports betting at KTO or elsewhere that Juve can win the scudetto for the first time since 2020, although it remains to be seen how long it will take to reach full strength.

The CAS judgment found that Pogba’s ingestion of the banned substance “was not intentional” and resulted from mistakenly taking a supplement prescribed to him by a Florida doctor.

In an interview with Sky Sports News, the 2018 World Cup winner reiterated that he has always been a clean athlete.

Pogba said: “I mean, when you see me, you know me and people know me, so even when everything happened they were like ‘no, of course we know Paul, he wouldn’t accept never that.’ If he did it, he didn’t know it or it wasn’t on purpose and that’s totally the truth.

“I am an honest person and I say it. In the end I would say “yes, I did it because I needed to” and that’s not the case. It’s not me. I’m not a cheater.

“I’m someone who loves my sport, I love the game and I would never do it. I don’t like cheating. I like to win fairly and people know that. You see it. You see me, I’m a sore loser, but I’m not a cheater. That’s for sure.

While Pogba is still under contract with Juventus until 2026, the 91-cap French international was coy about his club’s future and answered various questions about where his next move could be. destination.

A mutual termination of his contract with the Serie A club could occur, but otherwise Pogba can return to Juve training in January and has his main focus on resuming his international career.

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Asked about his return to France, Pogba insisted: “That’s what I hope. Of course it’s on my mind, but I have to be ready for it. There are players there who deserve to play and who deserve to be part of the national team.

“I also have to earn my place in the national team again. Of course, I’m ready to fight.

Pogba also promised to enjoy the sport more after getting a taste of life after football and momentarily thought his career could be over after his initial ban.

“Obviously I don’t want to lose the level I’m at and if I can surpass it, that’s what I want,” Pogba added.

“I don’t want my level to change. Still the same player with a different and more motivated hunger, getting hungrier and I will definitely enjoy the game more than before because the game has been taken away from me and I realize how important it is to me.

“I’ve kind of had a taste of what life after career is, so it will definitely be another Paul Pogba. Same but even more motivation to be on the field and play until the end of my career.