Returning from a doping ban, Pogba faces another major setback

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba returned to professional football in November, yet has recently encountered another disappointment with French club AS Monaco.

The ex-Manchester United midfielder has just endured another shock after his return to the pitch. The French player has been excluded from Monaco’s squad list for the knockout stage. Champions League.

Pogba returned to play in November, more than two years after his last appearance. He joined Monaco on a free transfer in June, following a suspension due to a doping violation.

He had to wait longer to make his debut as he needed to regain match fitness after a long period without playing. Pogba’s debut came when he was brought on as a substitute in the closing minutes of a Ligue 1 match against Rennes in November.

Afterward, Pogba made two more substitute appearances but missed the last nine matches across all competitions due to a calf injury. Most recently, Pogba was removed from Monaco’s squad for the upcoming Champions League knockout matches. Speaking at a press conference (according to RMCSport), Monaco’s director Thiago Scuro updated on the 32-year-old player’s condition: “The entire medical team is focused on finding a solution”, he said.

When asked when Pogba might return to training, Scuro stated: “There is no clear answer to that question”.

“We still need to establish a process to clarify the situation. As with any injury, the first step is returning to training, then progressively increasing workload to regain the fitness required for competition”.

Besides Pogba, defender Mohammed Salisu and midfielder Takumi Minamino were also excluded from the squad due to injuries. January signings Wout Faes and Simon Adingra were added as replacements, while Krepin Diatta was also included in the registered team.

Pogba was suspended in September 2023 while still at Juventus after testing positive for a banned substance. In February 2024, he received a four-year ban from the Italian National Anti-Doping Court, which was later reduced to 18 months after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Juventus subsequently terminated Pogba’s contract by mutual agreement in November 2024.