Paul Pogba debuts for Monaco in first game in over two years
Paris (AP): Former Manchester United and Juventus star Paul Pogba made his Monaco debut on Saturday, playing his first minutes in over two years.
The 32-year-old Pogba came on in the 85th minute of a 4-1 loss at Rennes in the French league.
Once a standout world champion for France, the midfielder saw his career derailed by injuries, off-field problems and a doping ban.
He wept when he signed his contract with Monaco during the offseason on a two-year deal in a bid to relaunch his career. He recently overcame a minor ankle injury and resumed training with Monaco during the international break.
A total of 811 days had passed since his last game, when he made his last appearance for Juventus on Sept. 3, 2023.
At his peak, Pogba helped his country win the 2018 World Cup, scoring in the final when France beat Croatia 4-2. He spent most of his career between United and Juventus, finally leaving the Italian club in November 2024.
In 2016, Pogba became the then-most expensive soccer player in history when he returned to United from Juventus for a fee of 105 million euros ($116 million).
The biggest blow to his career came in February 2024 when he was initially banned for four years by Italy's anti-doping court after he tested positive for testosterone while at still at Juventus. In October 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced his ban to 18 months.
PSG back topParis Saint-Germain beat Le Havre 3-0 at home to move back to the top of the standings ahead of next week's Champions League game against Tottenham.
Lee Kang-in, João Neves and Bradley Barcola all scored for Luis Enrique's side as it move two points ahead of Marseille and Lens.
Lens beat Strasbourg 1-0 to pull level with Marseille in second place.
Defender Ismaelo Ganiou scored his first league goal in the 69th of a game that both teams ended with 10 men. Strasbourg was down a man when Valentin Barco saw a red card in the 77th. Lens lost Morgan Guilavogui red card in extra time.
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Next round of Iran-US negotiations expected soon: Pak's Defence Minister
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Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that the next round of Iran-US negotiations was expected soon.
Asif made these remarks on Monday, a day after the Islamabad talks failed to clinch a deal.
The 21-hour talks between the US and Iran on Saturday were the first of their kind since 1979 due to the involvement of top-level officials from both sides. The two sides, however, failed to secure a lasting peace deal to end hostilities following their talks in Pakistan over the weekend.
Speaking to the media outside Parliament House, Asif said there had been a sense of satisfaction after the talks that there were no negative developments so far.
“Only positive progress has been observed,” he said, indicating that the ongoing diplomatic efforts were moving in a constructive direction.
The next round of Iran-US negotiations was expected soon, he added.
The Express Tribune reported that responding to a question about whether Pakistan would play a decisive role in shaping the region’s future, Asif said that ultimate decisions rest with Allah.
Vice President JD Vance, who led the US delegation at the negotiations in Islamabad, said the Iranian side did not accept Washington's terms for ending the war even as the US presented its "final and best offer".
Hours after the talks collapsed, US President Donald Trump said on social media that the negotiations with Iran failed as "Iran is unwilling to give up its nuclear ambitions."
Pakistan led the diplomatic push to bring the two sides to the table, which became possible after an appeal by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif earlier this week, leading to a pause in the fighting.
The conflict began after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, paralysing global energy markets and disrupting trade.
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