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Paul Pogba

LILLE. — France coach Didier Deschamps hailed Paul Pogba’s “great, great potential” after the midfielder put a difficult week behind him to shine in Sunday night’s 0-0 draw with Switzerland.

The Juventus star was one of few bright spots in a drab final Euro 2016 Group A soccer match at Lille’s Stade Pierre-Mauroy, twice clipping the crossbar and testing Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer with a crisp half-volley.

Pogba created a scandal after appearing to celebrate a goal in Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Albania with an explicit arm pump known in French as a ‘bras d’honneur’, but Deschamps was pleased with his display against the Swiss after restoring the 23-year-old to the starting XI.

“Paul was the animator of the game in the first half,” said Deschamps, whose side progressed to the last 16 as group winners.

“He had two quality strikes. After, in the second half, he got forward less. But he has great, great potential and I have confidence in him, of course.” — AFP.