AS Monaco has excluded Paul Pogba from their UEFA Champions League squad for the upcoming knockout round play-off against Paris Saint-Germain due to ongoing injuries. The 2018 World Cup winner has struggled with fitness since joining the club last summer. He will miss the two-legged tie scheduled for February 17 and 25.
Paul Pogba's challenging season at AS Monaco has taken another turn for the worse, as the club has removed the midfielder from their Champions League squad ahead of a crucial play-off against rivals Paris Saint-Germain. The decision, reported by RMC Sport and confirmed across multiple outlets, stems from Pogba's persistent injury issues, particularly a calf problem that has no set return date.
Pogba joined Monaco in the summer of 2025 on a two-year deal after his contract with Juventus was mutually terminated in November 2024. This followed a doping suspension that began in September 2023, when he tested positive for a banned substance while at the Italian club. Initially handed a four-year ban by the Italian Anti-Doping National Tribunal in February 2024, it was reduced to 18 months upon appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, allowing his return to competitive football.
Since arriving at Monaco, Pogba has made only three appearances in Ligue 1, totaling 30 minutes on the pitch. He was an unused substitute in the club's Champions League league phase matches against Pafos and Galatasaray. Early in the 2025-26 season, he focused on regaining match fitness after a two-year absence, but subsequent injuries to his calf, thigh, and ankle have sidelined him further.
Monaco's general manager, Thiago Scuro, addressed Pogba's situation during the unveiling of new signing Simon Adingra from Sunderland. "The entire medical department is focused on finding solutions," Scuro said. "There's no clear answer to that question. We still need to develop the process to clarify the situation. As with any injury, the first step will be to get back on the pitch, then continue to progress in training to regain the necessary fitness to play."
Pogba is not the only absentee; former Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu and ex-Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino have also been dropped due to serious injuries—Salisu and Minamino both sidelined with anterior cruciate ligament issues for the season. In their place, Monaco has registered winter signings Wout Faes and Simon Adingra, along with Krépin Diatta.
The play-off ties against reigning French and European champions PSG will determine a spot in the Champions League round of 16, with the first leg at Monaco on February 17 and the return in Paris on February 25. Despite recent setbacks, former France international Bacary Sagna remains optimistic about Pogba's future, suggesting he could still feature for Les Bleus at the 2026 World Cup if he regains form.
