Article body analysed
By GETHIN HICKS, SPORTS REPORTER Published: 00: 15 AEDT, 20 November 2025 | Updated: 02: 59 AEDT, 20 November 2025 2 View comments Paul Pogba admitted that he was living 'through a time of darkness and hell' in the midst of his doping ban - but at last this weekend his misery will come to an end. The Frenchman, once one of the world's best midfielders, will reportedly make his long-awaited return to football on Saturday when Monaco face Rennes at Roazhon Park. It was some 808 days ago that Pogba last laced up his boots as Juventus romped to a 2-0 win against Empoli. Little did the 32-year-old know during those 23 minutes at the Allianz Stadium the torment which was on the horizon. Days later he was handed a four-year suspension after testing positive for prohibited substance DHEA - a ban which sent one of the football's biggest names into the wilderness. Pogba had admitted to Juventus that he took some nutritional supplements, supposedly supplied to him by a Miami-based doctor, but was totally unaware that they contained the testosterone which led to his ban. In the year that followed, the former Man United and Juventus star kept a low profile. That was until October 2024, when his ban was slashed to 18 months. From the darkness, Pogba could then see a light at the end of the tunnel. Recalling the moment he heard the news, he told Daily Mail Sport that same month: 'Here's a funny story: I was trying on a new suit for a film premiere but I didn't have my phone. My wife (Zulay) comes upstairs with my phone screaming, "it's the lawyer". I said I would call him back but she said I had to take the call. ‘So I went downstairs to speak to him with the suit on! He told me the news and I was silent. Everyone was jumping, so happy but I was in shock. Quickly that happiness turned into a determination. We went through hell. A time of darkness. But this is my second chance, I have to use it. I was pumped. ' The reduction meant Pogba was free to return to professional football in March 2025. So, there begged the question, where would he make his return? Many suggested he was finished, primed to play out the rest of his days in Saudi Arabia or the United States. A move to Japan was even thought to be on the table. But Pogba had other ideas. Marseille was initially an option on the table. The southern French club's sporting director Medhi Benatia even admitted they considered hosting the French star's return to the game. 'We thought about signing Pogba, we wanted to do it, ' he said back in February. 'The problem is, if we want to bring in a Pogba, who is not yet fit, does it make sense to alter the balance? ' In the end, Pogba settled around 136 miles east of Marseille along the French coast in Monaco. When he signed a two-year contract at the club in June, he broke down in tears. 'Today I am very happy to be at AS Monaco and return to the job I love, ' the former World Cup winner said. 'As I said, there was moments of doubt, when everything was jumbled in my head. 'It was sometimes difficult, but my family and my wife, and especially my wife, pushed me, telling me not to worry and that I would get back on the pitch. 'Today, the first objective has been achieved, by signing for a club, and now, I'm coming back with the same mentality and the desire to train hard and come back and get back into shape. ' Yet Monaco boss Sebastien Pocognoli was understandably cautious about the prospect of Pogba featuring this weekend after being left frustrated by a number of delays. Paul Pogba will reportedly make his long-awaited return to the pitch this weekend more than two years after being handed a lengthy doping ban The French midfielder is likely to be included in Monaco's squad for their clash against Rennes on Saturday 'My communication will remain down-to-earth, like our internal analysis, ' he told AFP on Monday. 'I said we'll judge him based on what he offers. That's also out of kindness. I hope {he is close to playing]. 'But the last time I said that. .. so I'm trying not to get ahead of myself. It will happen when it's meant to happen. All I can say is that, when he's on the pitch, I see someone who is happy and focused on getting back to the top level. There's no doubt about it. ' Pocognoli added: 'My role now is to help him with the staff and if we can even just bring a smile to his face during professional matches, that will be fantastic. 'Will it be easy? I can’t say. But we’re working on it, and Paul has a strong character. And I think the mind controls a lot of things 'During one of my first internal meetings, I spoke about the club’s legacy. I believe that leaders, like Paul, must pass on their knowledge to the next generation, to the fans, to everyone involved with the club. 'These experienced players must mentor the younger ones. I have to make sure they succeed. The more leaders we have, the more the pressure is distributed. If Paul is used effectively, the group can benefit from his influence. ' Pogba was handed a four-year doping ban in September 2023 which was later slashed to just 18 months. Monaco manager Sebastien Pocognoli was however understandably cautious about the prospect of Pogba featuring this weekend Pogba made a dramatic return from the footballing wilderness when he penned a two-year contract with AS Monaco in June this year The Frenchman told Daily Mail Sport last year that he was going through 'hell' during the period which saw Juventus tear up his lucrative £200, 000-per-week contract. But after discovering his ban was reduced, Pogba made a dramatic return from the footballing wilderness when he penned a two-year contract with AS Monaco in June this year. He was brought to the Stade Louis II by then-manager Adi Hutter, who was sacked earlier this month after a poor run of results before being replaced by Sebastien Pocognoli. Monaco currently sit sixth in Ligue 1, five points adrift of a Champions League spot and some seven points behind league leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
Share what you think
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mail Online.
By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your Mail Online comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to Mail Online as usual. Do you want to automatically post your Mail Online comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to Mail Online as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on Mail Online. To do this we will link your Mail Online account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.