This is the question that burns the lips of all Monegasque supporters and the curious who have sought to find out about the composition of their team: why Paul Pogbathe star of AS Monaco, is he not in the starting lineup this evening in the Champions League against Pafos? While “La Pioche” officially returned to the pitch last Saturday in Ligue 1, his absence at the kick-off of this European meeting is frustrating. However, on closer inspection, this choice by SĂ©bastien Pocognoli’s staff is anything but a surprise. Explanations.
An inevitable physical precautionary principle
We must not forget where Paul Pogba comes from. After more than two years of absence (an eternity in modern football) following his suspension, the midfielder only played 11 short minutes last Saturday during the defeat against Rennes (1-4). Starting him three days later, for a match with European intensity, would have been medical negligence. The Monegasque staff applies a strict progressive recovery protocol here: the player’s body must re-accustom itself to shocks and changes in rhythm without risking the classic muscular relapse of ” return too quickly.
AS Monaco is playing big in this match, but above all it is playing its season over time. By leaving Pogba on the bench, Pocognoli offers himself a tactical luxury: that of having a fresh “game changer” for the last half hour. Faced with a Cypriot team from Pafos which risks losing its footing physically in the second half, the entry of a Pogba, even at 60% of his means, can hurt much more than if he started the match only to exhaust himself after 45 minutes. This is “luxury” management that Monaco could not afford just a few weeks ago.
Pogba could come on after the break
Beyond the purely physical aspect, there is human management. Establishing Pogba from the start, when he has just obtained the medical green light, could have sent a contradictory signal to the players who took over (and qualified) during his absence, such as Denis Zakaria or Lamine Camara. The integration of the star must be done organically, without disrupting the merit hierarchy. Pogba must “earn” his starting place, and this requires convincing starts before claiming the eleven type.
Rest assured, if Paul Pogba does not start, there is a very good chance that we will see him at work. The ideal scenario for ASM would be to close the match quickly to offer its number 10 around thirty minutes of playing time without pressure, just to perfect its automatisms. Rome was not built in a day, and neither was the return of “Prime Pogba”. You will therefore have to be patient: for the moment, the show is on the shelf, but it should not stay there all evening.
