Malmo v Juventus: Pogba issues rallying cry

Paul Pogba feels nothing other than three points will do for Juventus in their make-or-break UEFA Champions League trip to Malmo.

Italian champions Juve visit Sweden on Wednesday in third place in Group A after their dramatic 3-2 win over Olympiacos last time out.

That victory put Massimiliano Allegri’s side level on points with the Greek team, who travel to pool leaders Atletico Madrid this week, and kept their hopes of reaching the last 16 alive.

Juve have been typically dominant in Serie A this season, having dropped just five points from their 12 games so far, but have again found it tough to take that form into continental competition.

However, Pogba, who scored the winning goal in the come-from-behind success over Olympiacos, believes the attitude Juve showed to battle back from 2-1 down against Michel’s side will stand them in good stead for their crucial game at Swedbank Stadion.

“We have no alternative, we must return from Sweden with three points,” the Frenchman told Gazetta dello Sport after scoring twice to inspire Saturday’s 3-0 win at Lazio.

“We know in the Champions League we struggle often – there is something lacking. But against Olympiacos I saw an important spirit.

“We have a good team, we can go pretty far [in the tournament], but we always need [the] concentration and continuity shown in Rome [against Lazio].

“I hope to score again – as long as it proves useful to [getting] the three points, the rest does not interest me.”

Juve head to Sweden in good form, having responded to their shock 1-0 defeat at Genoa late last month by winning four games in a row while scoring 15 goals in the process.

Pogba has turned in several superb displays recently, and his performance at the Stadio Olimpico at the weekend was hailed by Allegri as the 21-year-old’s best of the season to date.

It is Carlos Tevez who will likely worry Malmo most, though, with the former Manchester City striker enjoying another prolific season.

The 30-year-old has scored 11 goals in 15 games in all competitions this term – form that has earned him a long-awaited recall to the Argentina squad – and netted twice in Juve’s 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture against Malmo back in September.

Wednesday could see the return of Juve’s Kwadwo Asamoah from a knee problem, although the game may come too soon for Angelo Ogbonna (hamstring).

Malmo, meanwhile, go into the fixture knowing they need a win to stand any chance of qualifying from the pool.

The Swedish champions’ league season is already over, and they have not played since an extra-time Svenska Cupen win over Halmia on November 15.

Age Hareide’s men have struggled to make an impact in Group A and sit bottom having taken just three points from their four fixtures.

Atletico claimed a 2-0 win at Swedbank Stadion last time out – and a similar outcome on Wednesday would confirm the hosts’ elimination from the competition.