Former Manchester United player and French world cup winner Paul Pogba will start training with former team this week ahead of stunning football return!
Paul Pogba, the ex-Manchester United player, has encountered yet another setback in his football comeback. The French midfielder won’t be included in Monaco’s roster for the Champions League knockout rounds.
The 32-year-old returned to competitive football in November after a two-year absence from the pitch. Monaco signed Pogba without a transfer fee in June, following the completion of his shortened suspension for failing a drug test.
His first appearance was delayed while he worked to regain fitness after his extended time away. He eventually entered a Ligue 1 match against Rennes as a late-game substitution in November.
Since then, Pogba has made two additional brief appearances off the bench but hasn’t featured in the team’s last nine matches across all tournaments due to a calf problem. Adding to his troubles, Monaco has excluded him from their Champions League knockout phase roster. Monaco’s director, Thiago Scuro, addressed the situation during a media briefing reported by RMCSport.
“Our entire medical team is working to find solutions,” Scuro stated. Regarding Pogba’s return to training, he noted: “We don’t have a definitive timeline for that.
“We’re still working through the process to understand the full picture. Like any injury recovery, he’ll first need to return to practice, then gradually build up his conditioning to reach match-ready fitness.”
Pogba isn’t alone in being removed from the squad—defenders Mohammed Salisu and midfielder Takumi Minamino were also cut due to their own injury concerns. New January acquisitions Wout Faes and Simon Adringra have taken their places, along with Krépin Diatta.
Monaco’s next fixture is Thursday evening (starting at 8pm), facing Strasbourg away in the French Cup’s round of 16. Their Champions League campaign resumes on Tuesday, February 17, with PSG visiting for the playoff first leg.
The return fixture is scheduled at Parc des Princes on Wednesday, February 25 (8pm start). The victorious team will meet either Barcelona or Chelsea in the subsequent round of 16.
