Life at Old Trafford like 'a vacation'

Juventus' Mario Mandzukic celebrates with his team mate Paul Pogba after scoring a goal. PHOTO: REUTERS

ROME • France footballer Paul Pogba says his time at Manchester United was like being on holiday in comparison to the work he has to do at Juventus.

The 22-year-old, who has helped Juve win three consecutive league titles since controversially quitting United in 2012, made the remark in a wide-ranging interview with Turin daily La Stampa.

"People need to know that nothing at Juve is easy," he said. "There is a different culture of work compared to elsewhere. I was at Manchester - it seemed like being on holiday. Here, we work so much.

"All these titles, we didn't steal them. It was by working right to the end."

Pogba, who joined United as a 16-year-old academy trainee, was accused of a lack of respect by former boss Alex Ferguson after refusing to sign a long-term contract at the club following his promotion to the first-team squad, for whom he made only three appearances.

And he will not have helped his standing with United fans by letting slip that the teams he chooses to play on PlayStation include local rivals Manchester City but not his former team-mates at Old Trafford.

"I pick Juve, Barca, Madrid and City," he said.

"I even play by myself and sometimes get annoyed because the Pogba in the video game plays better than me."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on January 03, 2016, with the headline Life at Old Trafford like 'a vacation'. Subscribe