LONDON - Mum Pogba, as Jose Mourinho described her, might be in an awkward position but her sons Paul and Florentin are relishing their first meeting in professional football when Manchester United face Saint-Etienne in the Europa League tonight.
Florentin, a defender who is nearly three years older, even turned up to face the media yesterday with the brothers’ respective shirt numbers — 6 and 19 — shaved into his hair for the big occasion. Meanwhile, their mother Yeo will watch the first leg of this last 32 tie from Paul’s private box at Old Trafford tonight with very divided loyalties.
‘It’s a nice destiny,’ said Mourinho. ‘I think only Mum Pogba is a little bit in trouble, which is normal.
‘It’s impossible for the lady to choose. I know from Paul that his mum wants a draw, but next week one son will be happy and another one will be sad.
‘For the mum it’s a bit of a problem, but they will enjoy playing against each other. Paul will enjoy it and Florentin the same. I think it’s a good thing.’
The sibling rivalry began on the artificial pitches of Roissy-en-Brie in the Paris suburbs where Paul was brought up with his brothers, twins Florentin and Mathias (a striker for Sparta Rotterdam), who were born in Guinea before the family moved to France. The older brothers left home at the age of 16 and headed to Spain with Celta Vigo.
Florentin returned to France two years later and signed for Sedan before joining Saint-Etienne, while Mathias has also played for Wrexham, Crewe, Pescara, Crawley and Partick Thistle.
Meanwhile, Paul went to Le Havre where he came to the attention of United’s scouts, moving to Manchester for substantially less than it cost the club to re-sign him from Juventus for £89million last summer.
Pogba, 23, may be the world’s most expensive player but that makes no difference to his 26-year-old brother Florentin.
‘It’s going to be a magical moment and I hope he and I enjoy it the best we can,’ said the Saint-Etienne defender.
‘No anguish at all, absolute excitement for me. No worries at all. It’s all positive. For sure I’ll be swapping shirts with him. I don’t know who’s going to be happy at the end, but may the best man win.’
However, United defender Eric Bailly is determined not to be distracted by the Pogba sideshow.
‘We know it’s a special occasion for the Pogba family,’ said Bailly. ‘But we are also aware that it’s a very serious knockout stage game in the Europa League. They’ve been having a bit of fun. Paul has mentioned it a little bit in training, but the focus is on Saint-Etienne. We know they are going to be a threat.’
Meanwhile, Mourinho delivered another public snub to Luke Shaw when he said that the England defender will not feature.
Shaw has not played since the end of January after falling out of favour with his manager, but he might have expected a recall tonight after making three of his last seven starts in the Europa League.
However, Mourinho, who has criticised Shaw in public on several occasions this season, quickly shut the door on that idea.
‘He’s not playing,’ he said. Asked why, the United boss added: ‘Because my team is playing well and I am happy with my back four.’
Mourinho added Phil Jones is still out with a foot injury, while Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick miss the game due to what he described as muscle problems.