Pogba is back after 811 days, but Monaco collapse on a night of mixed emotions

Paul Pogba finally stepped back onto a football pitch after more than two years in the wilderness, making his long-awaited return during Monaco's bruising 4-1 defeat to unstoppable Rennes. The 32-year-old came on in the 85th minute at Roazhon Park, a moment of deeply personal triumph overshadowed by a match that had already slipped far out of Monaco's reach.

By the time Pogba came on, Monaco were down to ten men - captain Denis Zakaria had seen red - and Rennes were four goals to the good thanks to strikes from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo and Ludovic Blas. A late consolation from Mika Biereth barely softened another heavy blow for Sebastien Pocognoli's side, who suffered a second straight 4-1 defeat and dropped to eighth in the table.

For Pogba, though, the night carried a very different weight. The French World Cup winner, who broke down in tears when he signed for Monaco, had not played a competitive minute since 3 September 2023 - 811 days ago - in a Serie A match for Juventus. His turbulent journey included a provisional four-year doping ban for a positive DHEA test, later reduced to 19 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after Pogba insisted he had unknowingly taken a contaminated supplement.

Allowed to return in March, Pogba has been rebuilding quietly, waiting for the moment he could feel like a footballer again. Even in a painful defeat, the brief cameo marked the end of an ordeal and the first step toward redefining the final chapter of his career.

LIGUE 1 - ROUND 13

Friday

Nice - Olympique Marseille 1-5 (0-2)

/Ali Cho 63 - Aubameyang 11, Greenwood 33, 53, Weah 58, Paixao 74/

Saturday

Lens - Strassbourg 1-0 (0-0)

/Ganiou 69/

Rennes - Monaco 4-1 (1-0)

/Ait Boudlal 20, Camara 48, Embolo 73, Blas 83 pen - Biereth 90+5/

PSG - Le Havre 3-0 (1-0)

/Lee 29, Neves 65, Barcola 87/

Sunday

17.00: (3.80) Auxerre (3.45) Olympique Lyon (2.00)

19.15: (1.85) Brest (3.75) Metz (4.50)

19.15: (2.65) Nantes (3.15) Lorient (2.80)

19.15: (1.67) Toulouse (3.60) Angers (5.70)

22.45: (1.65) Lille (4.10) Paris (5.00)

***odds are subject to change***