Pogba closes on first Monaco appearance since doping ban

Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba is set to make his long-awaited return from a doping ban this weekend.

The 32-year-old joined the Ligue 1 club last summer, after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 19 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Pogba’s last competitive appearance came in September 2023, when he featured for Juventus in a Serie A match against Empoli.

The former Manchester United midfielder has been given time to build up his fitness in Monaco and had been earmarked for selection against Lens on 8 November, only for an ankle injury to postpone his debut.

However, Pogba is now expected to be named in Monaco’s squad to face Rennes on Saturday.

He was provisionally banned from football for four years after a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in February 2024, following a doping test in August 2023.

Pogba maintained it was a mistake and that he was given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.

The France international, a 2018 World Cup winner, was permitted to return to football in March following the decision to reduce his ban.

Should Pogba make his Monaco debut against Rennes, it would be his first ever Ligue 1 appearance.

He came through the ranks at Le Havre, but joined Manchester United before making a senior appearance for the club.

Pogba joined Juventus on a free transfer in 2012, before returning to Old Trafford in a then world record £89m four years later.

He went back to Juventus following the expiry of his six-year deal with United in 2022, but made just 12 appearances before his contract was mutually terminated.

Pogba scored in the final as France beat Croatia 4-2 in the 2018 World Cup final.

(BBC Sport)

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