Paul Pogba: 'Red card was harsh'

Paul Pogba has insisted that he did not deserve to be sent off during France's World Cup qualifier against Spain in Paris last night.

The Juventus midfielder was cautioned in the 77th minute for a foul on Xabi Alonso and a second yellow card followed just 60 seconds later when he clipped Xavi.

However, the 20-year-old believes that referee Viktor Kassai was wrong to dismiss him and went on to suggest that the official had been swayed by Xavi's reaction.

"I hardly touched him. Yes, there was contact with his foot, but he started screaming and only then did the referee pull out the second yellow card," Pogba is quoted as saying by Ouest France. "That's football, though. There's nothing I can do to change what happened.

"I feel bad about it because it weakened the team when we tried to get back in the game."

France went on to lose the encounter 1-0 courtesy of a goal from Barcelona winger Pedro.