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’s challenging comeback to professional football has hit another obstacle, with the former Manchester United star being omitted from Monaco’s Champions League knockout stage squad.
The French midfielder made his long-awaited return to action in November after spending more than two years on the sidelines. Monaco brought him in on a free transfer last June, once he’d completed a reduced suspension for testing positive for a prohibited substance.
Building match fitness after such a prolonged absence meant Pogba had to wait before making his debut. When the moment finally arrived, he came on as a late substitute in a Ligue 1 fixture against Rennes in November.
He’s since made two more substitute appearances, but a calf injury has kept him out of the team’s last nine matches across all competitions. Now, in another disappointing development, Monaco has left him out of their Champions League knockout phase squad. The club’s director, Thiago Scuro, addressed the situation in a press conference covered by RMCSport.
“Our entire medical department is dedicated to finding solutions,” Scuro explained. When pressed about when Pogba might resume training, he responded: “Unfortunately, we don’t have a clear answer to that question right now.
“We’re still working through the process to get a complete picture of the situation. As with any injury, he’ll first need to return to training, then gradually build up his fitness until he’s ready to compete again.”
Pogba isn’t the only player affected—both defender Mohammed Salisu and midfielder Takumi Minamino have also been dropped from the squad due to injuries. They’ve been replaced by January signings Wout Faes and Simon Adingra, with Krépin Diatta also added to the roster.
Monaco face Strasbourg away on Thursday evening at 8pm in the French Cup round of 16. Their Champions League campaign resumes on Tuesday, February 17, when they host PSG for the first leg of their playoff tie.
The second leg takes place at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday, February 25, also kicking off at 8pm. Whichever team progresses will face either Barcelona or Chelsea in the round of 16.
