Pogba 'still possesses the qualities', Monaco coach Pocognoli affirms

Sebastien Pocognoli, Monaco's coach, affirmed on Friday that Paul Pogba retains all his "vision and technique" after more than two years away from the pitch, while deciding if the 2018 World Cup champion deserves his initial club outing.

Expectations are high for the 32 year old to return to football action since September 2023, ahead of Monaco's trip to Rennes this Saturday.

Pogba underwent a failed drugs examination in August 2023 following a Juventus fixture, resulting in a four year prohibition that got lowered to 18 months later.

Following his departure from the Italian side, he inked a deal with Monaco during June, with the French outfit adopting a measured strategy to reintegrate him into match fitness.

"Paul faces one additional practice today, after which we shall review the entire unit," Pocognoli explained, suggesting Pogba might feature in the lineup "provided conditions remain favourable".

An October reintroduction was the original plan for Pogba, yet various setbacks, notably a twisted ankle, postponed his progress.

"He has undergone multiple practice runs, yielding optimistic responses," Pocognoli noted.

"This global pause granted us further opportunities to refine assorted strategic elements and simulate game scenarios. His involvement signals encouraging developments."

The coach from Belgium elaborated: "Pogba holds the attributes needed to integrate into our central engine room setup. His perceptive play and technical prowess endure.

"That said, genuine evaluation demands a live encounter, a standard procedure for athletes rebounding from layovers."