Want Backheel Breakfast in your inbox? Sign up for the email version here.
Paul Pogba given No. 10 shirt at Juventus
It’s a significant number for most teams, but at Juventus it’s got an even weightier history.
Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images
To some extent shirt numbers are just that: the number on the back of a shirt. But in football, those numbers can carry a lot of meaning, especially at clubs with a long and storied history. Juventus are one of those teams, and for the bianconeri, one of the giants of Italy and Europe, No. 10 is incredibly meaningful.
Now, the No. 10 shirt is big for many teams -- names like Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane and Pele have all worn the iconic number, and in the modern day Lionel Messi is the preeminent figure currently sporting the No. 10. At Juventus, though, that number has adorned legends like Alessandro Del Piero, Roberto Baggio and Michel Platini, giving it incredible weight to live up to for whoever follows them. Now there's a new name donning the No. 10 and hoping to eventually mentioned in that same historic breath: Paul Pogba.
The Juventus midfielder was given the number heading into the coming season, perhaps as part of Juventus’ efforts to keep the talented Frenchman in the long run. He’s not your typical No. 10 -- it’s a number usually given to talented attacking players, usually key playmakers or strikers. Pogba’s more a midfield workhorse, though he’s one plenty talented in the attacking third of the pitch. While it likely won’t affect how he plays, it’s going to be interesting to see if he lives up to the expectations many fans put on the man who wears that number for Juventus -- and indeed, how long he stays with the bianconeri to wear it.
In the news
NBC’s coverage of the English Premier League in the United States just got a lot more robust -- starting Saturday, one match a week will be shown on the USA Network, a channel available in almost all basic cable packages in the US. (Sports Illustrated)
AC Milan are getting a new stadium -- but financial and legal issues could slow the project down and put it at risk. (Football Italia)
After a strong preseason, Tottenham Hotspur youngster Delle Alli could make his Premier League debut this weekend. (Guardian)
Speaking of Spurs, they just cut ties with Franco Baldini, the sporting director who oversaw the nearly-disastrous purchases made after the sale of Gareth Bale. (Guardian)
You should be reading
With the EPL season starting Saturday, now’s a good time to pick a team if you don’t already support one -- and here’s a sort of guide of guides for the process. (Vice)
Michael Cox examines just what makes the Premier League title race so exciting in recent years. (ESPN FC)
Mark Ogden doesn’t think that Louis Van Gaal can afford a second season without a trophy at Manchester United. (Telegraph)
Fun with transfer rumors
The section in which nothing should be taken seriously. It’s rumor season, so this section will be expanded, and as the summer rolls on, it will probably be bigger than the actual news section.
Remember Sergio Ramos’ shiny new contract extension? Yeah, about that. Apparently he hasn’t signed it yet, and either wants even more money or a transfer to Manchester United. (AS)
The John Stones transfer saga just got more interesting, with Everton boss Roberto Martinez accusing Chelsea captain John Terry of tapping up his player. (Guardian)
AC Milan chairman Adriano Galliani doesn’t seem optimistic of his team’s chance to sign Zlatan Ibrahimovic. (ESPN FC)
What happened in Thursday’s matches
West Ham’s Europa League qualifying campaign took a turn for the disastrous, losing 2-1 to Romanian side Astra and falling out of Europe. (BBC)
Things went better for Southampton, who beat Vitesse 2-0 to win their tie 5-0 on aggregate and advance to the playoff round. (St. Mary’s Musings)
A Henrikh Mkhitaryan hat trick led Borussia Dortmund to a 5-0 win over Austrian side Wolfsberger to easily secure Europa League advancement. (Goal)
Gio dos Santos scored in his debut as the LA Galaxy beat Central 5-1 in the CONCACAF Champions League (ESPN FC)
What to watch on Tuesday (click for listings, all times ET)
Ligue 1: Paris Saint-Germain vs. Lille (2:30 p.m.) -- The French league season opens with defending champions PSG on the road against a team in Lille hoping to bounce back from a wildly disappointing season.
Championship: Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Nottingham Forest (2:45 p.m.) -- England’s second division kicks off with two likely contenders in the promotion battle come the end of the season.
MLS: Portland Timbers vs. Chicago Fire (11 p.m.) -- Neither of these teams are where they wanted to be in MLS this season, but a win today could help build momentum for the stretch run of the season.
Liga MX: Santos Laguna vs. Tijuana (10:30 p.m.) -- Both normally strong sides, both of these teams lost their first two matches of the Liga MX season. Time to turn that around.
See More:
