Juventus vs Genoa preview - Juve face life without Pogba

Posted Saturday, March 21, 2015 by PA

Juventus will start learning how to play without Paul Pogba on Sunday against Genoa with the France midfielder ruled out for two months through injury.

Pogba limped off with a hamstring problem during Thursday's 3-0 Champions League triumph at Borussia Dortmund.

The 22-year-old is expected to miss Juve's next seven Serie A games as well as the Champions League quarter-final tie against Monaco.

His absence should not prove detrimental to Juve's scudetto hopes as they have a 14-point lead over nearest challengers Roma.

However, Pogba will be missed in the other competitions, with Juve through to the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia as well as progressing in Europe.

Despite Pogba's injury, his team-mates are thrilled to have made it to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

"We are delighted," Juve midfielder Arturo Vidal told his club's official website. "Against Dortmund we played a beautiful game and it was almost a perfect night but for Pogba's injury.

"We know that against Monaco we have a 50 per cent chance of progressing.

"We now need to be focused on Sunday's match.

"We want to clinch our fourth straight scudetto.

"Against Genoa we also want to make amends for our only defeat of the tournament."

Genoa beat Juve 1-0 earlier this season and will look to spring another surprise and end Juve's unbeaten home run on Sunday.

"We want to play a great game just as we did back in October," Genoa striker Leonardo Pavoletti said. "We know we will need to use our heads, our hearts and our legs to have a chance to win this game.

"Our fans will see a different Genoa than with respect to our performance against Chievo."

The Grifoni lost 2-0 to Chievo last time out to see their five-match unbeaten run halted.

Gian Piero Gasperini's side sit seventh in the standings and have a game in hand.

Genoa are without midfielders Iago Falque and Tomas Rincon, who are suspended.

The hosts will be without Spanish striker Alvaro Morata, who serves a one-match ban.