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For many football fans, the 2019/20 season was wild because COVID-19 created absolute chaos in the world of football.
Games were postponed, some seasons were cut short, and things were in a general state of “abnormal.”
Now, though, a worldwide pandemic might actually seem normal, as Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe are involved in a controversy which is centered around extortion...and a witchdoctor...and gangsters.
Seriously.
Let’s delve into what Fox Sports is reporting:
French police have opened an investigation into World Cup winner Paul Pogba’s claims he is being threatened and targeted for extortion by gangsters, a source close to the case told AFP on Sunday.
Pogba’s allegations came after his brother Mathias published a bizarre video online — in four languages (French, Italian, English and Spanish) — promising “great revelations” about the Juventus star.
Okay, that’s not normal at all, but an athlete having a warped out family member isn’t exactly groundbreaking. So...what else? Let’s see:
In the video, Mathias Pogba alleges his brother placed a curse on Kylian Mbappe via a “so-called Muslim deep in witchcraft” and that the Juve star “really wanted to shut me up completely to lie and send me to prison.”
A statement signed by his lawyers, his mother Yeo Moriba and current agent Rafaela Pimenta said that the videos published on Saturday night “are unfortunately no surprise.”
“They are in addition to threats and extortion attempts by an organized gang against Paul Pogba,” read the statement. “The competent bodies in Italy and France were informed a month ago and there will be no further comments in relation to the ongoing investigation.” Mathias Pogba, 32, promised “great revelations about (his) brother Paul Pogba and his agent Rafaela Pimenta”, who took over as head of the company of former agent Mino Raiola who died in April.
Say what now?
So, we’ve got Paul Pogba’s brother, who is might be in too deep into something...Paul Pogba placing a curse on Mbappe...and the involvement of organized crime. Got all that?
BUT WAIT...THERE’S MORE! If you wanted some extortion...you got it:
According to two sources close to the Pogba family contacted by AFP, large sums of money are being demanded from Paul Pogba if he wants to avoid the dissemination of the allegedly compromising videos. France Info reported that Paul Pogba told investigators he had been threatened by “childhood friends and two hooded men armed with assault rifles”.
They are demanding 13 million euros from him for “services provided”. A source close to the matter confirmed the France Info reports to AFP.
Paul and Mathias Pogba have some things they need to work out, but what does Mbappe have to do with this — and why did he — allegedly — have a curse placed on him?
Those answers are currently (from parts) unknown, but Paul Pogba tried to make a counteroffer to the gangsters per Get French Football News (who has to be loving this story):
Breaking | Paul Pogba’s counter-offer to the blackmailers demanding €13m, amongst whom is understood to be his brother Mathias, was to pay them close to €100k, believing they would be content with that - they were not. More follows. (RMC)
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) August 29, 2022
Is Paul Pogba just trying to make this go away? If not, what is he hiding...a meeting with this guy?
Papa shango is our club doctor. pic.twitter.com/eYtxvFKcb8
— Stavros (@Stavrosthegreat) August 24, 2022
Mbappe, however, is taking this alleged witchcraft seriously:
Kylian Mbappé & his entourage are “keeping a close eye from a distance” on the Paul Pogba affair - if video evidence emerges of Pogba using a witch doctor to curse Mbappé, L’Équipe believe that there may be a problem between Pogba & Mbappé & Deschamps may have to make a decision.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) August 29, 2022
Who needs the Targaryens, when you’ve got the Pogbas?
Anyway, this blood feud involving the dark arts should do wonders for France’s World Cup chances...but maybe — just maybe — this is just what Hansi Flick and his Voodoo Priest wanted all along.
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