Paul Pogba insists he ‘feels great’ and vowed to help Monaco until the end of the season after ending a four-month spell on the treatment table.
Pogba came on for the final 21 minutes of Monaco’s 4-1 defeat by Paris FC on Friday night, earning his first minutes on the pitch since December.
The 33-year-old, who came on with Monaco already trailing 3-1, was given a warm ovation by both sets of supporters when he came off the bench.
Pogba has been restricted to four appearances, totalling just 51 minutes, since signing for Monaco in the summer.
The principality side had given him the chance to resurrect his career following an 18-month doping ban, which he previously described to Daily Mail Sport as ‘hell’.
Speaking post-match, Pogba sought to offer reassurances that his niggling run of injuries are behind him and vowed to contribute as much as possible before the end of the season.
Pogba dismissed suggestions that the club could end his contract, which runs until 2027, at the end of the campaign.
‘On a personal level, it’s always good to be back on the pitch and try to help my team,’ Pogba said.
‘The cheers from the crowd really warmed my heart. Of course, I was focused on my own game, but I heard them clearly and it was really nice.
‘I feel great now, I’m trying to get some playing time and get back to full fitness, that will come with time.
‘I’m here to help the team as much as possible until the end of the season.
‘I’m still here, so from what I’ve heard, we’re in it for the long haul. For me, I’m only focused on the upcoming matches, getting fit, and helping the team.’
Pogba also expressed disappointment at Monaco’s 4-1 defeat to Paris FC, which leaves them fifth in the table, two places and three points off automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Monaco chiefs had admitted in January that a plan to get Pogba back to full fitness after two years without a competitive match had ‘not worked as expected’.
Pogba, who always maintained his innocence in regards to his doping ban, suffered several niggles after joining the club.
A calf injury has kept him out of action for four months, having not featured until Friday since December 5.
Pogba was originally handed a four-year doping ban in February 2024 after being suspended having failed a drugs test in September 2023.
The ban was later slashed to just 18 months after appeal, although his £200,000-per-week contract with Juventus was still ripped up.
He was eligible to play from March 2025 onwards, but it took him until June to land at Monaco, where he signed a two-year deal.
This allowed him to play domestic football in France for the first time in his career after he joined Man United from Le Havre at the age of 16.
