Paul Pogba returned to Ligue 1 on Thursday night for Monaco, coming off the bench in the 69th minute of a 4-1 loss to Paris FC. It was his first appearance since 5 December and his first real step back into the league after weeks in which his minutes had been tightly managed.
Pogba entered with Monaco already down 3-1, replacing Kehrer as the match slipped away. Before Thursday, he had played only 30 minutes across three consecutive league matches against Rennes, Paris Saint-Germain and Brest, a slow restart that showed how carefully the club has had to handle him.
After the match, Pogba said he felt very well and was trying to win minutes and recover his form, adding that the most important thing was to take time. He said Monaco had been in a very good spell and that it was difficult to come back and play immediately when the team was doing well. He also said he was at the club to help as much as possible until the end of the season, adding: “Je suis encore là ! Nous serons encore ensemble pour longtemps.”
That return came after months of physical setbacks at Monaco. Pogba has been limited by problems with his thigh, ankle and calf since arriving, and Thursday’s cameo was less a comeback statement than a reminder of how long he has spent trying to get fit enough to matter again.
The next test is whether Monaco can turn that careful reintroduction into something more useful than a late substitute appearance. For Pogba, the target is simple: more minutes, better form, and enough sharpness to help the team before the season runs out.
