Pogba Faces New Setback in Monaco Training Camp

Paul Pogba’s attempt to relaunch his career at AS Monaco has hit another painful snag, this time on the training pitches of St George’s Park.

In the middle of a routine passing drill at the club’s pre-season camp, the 2018 World Cup winner suddenly cried out and went to ground. According to Maxi Foot, medical staff rushed over immediately, with two members of Monaco’s backroom team helping him off the pitch as worried team-mates looked on.

It was a jarring scene. Pogba had only just rejoined full group sessions after a long, stuttering spell blighted by physical problems. His pre-season minutes so far had been limited to a brief appearance, but at least there had been a sense of progress, of forward motion. That vanished in an instant.

Head coach Filipe Luís had recently spoken with optimism about bringing the 33-year-old back into the heart of his squad. The plan was clear: use this pre-season to build Pogba’s fitness, restore his rhythm and see whether he could still anchor Monaco’s midfield at the level required.

Now that plan hangs in the balance.

The timing could hardly be worse for the Ligue 1 side. Monaco are moving into the decisive phase of their preparations for the new campaign, with final tactical tweaks and selection calls being made. Club officials had already earmarked this pre-season as a decisive period in assessing Pogba’s long-term future at the club. Every session, every minute on the pitch, mattered.

Instead, they are back to waiting.

Medical scans will determine the extent of the damage and how long he might be sidelined. Until those results arrive, there is only uncertainty. For Pogba, it is another anxious pause in a career that has become punctuated by stop-start comebacks. For the coaching staff, it forces an immediate rethink of their midfield plans.

Monaco must now manage without one of their most high-profile names as he begins yet another rehabilitation process. Squad depth in the middle of the pitch, already under scrutiny, will be tested again as competitive fixtures loom.

Whether this latest blow proves to be a short-lived scare or the beginning of another extended absence is still unclear. What is clear is that a pre-season meant to offer Pogba a clean slate has instead delivered another harsh reminder of the battle he faces just to stay on the pitch.