Paul Pogba blackmail trial set to open in Paris

Paris: Six men linked to Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba go on trial Tuesday, accused of blackmail, attempted extortion of millions of euros...

Paris: Six men linked to Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba go on trial Tuesday, accused of blackmail, attempted extortion of millions of euros and holding the player at gunpoint.

The case at the Paris criminal court has shocked the French football world -- all the more so because the perpetrators include three childhood friends and Pogba's own brother Mathias.

The trial comes as Pogba battles professional woes, with Juventus this month cancelling his contract following his suspension until March 2025 for doping. The six men are accused of attempting to squeeze 13 million euros ($13.5 million) out of the player.

Mathias was the one to go public in the case, publishing a video on social networks in August 2022 promising revelations about his younger brother that were "likely to be explosive".

In a subsequent clip, Mathias accused Paul Pogba of casting an evil spell on his France teammate Kylian Mbappe.