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Pogba joins French squad for international duty despite missing derby

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 11: Paul Pogba of Manchester United greets Leroy Sane of Manchester City before during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Manchester City FC/Man City via Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 11: Paul Pogba of Manchester United greets Leroy Sane of Manchester City before during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Manchester City FC/Man City via Getty Images)

Paul Pogba has travelled to France to report for international duty for his country’s game against the Netherlands in the Nations League.

That may surprise some people, including his club manager Jose Mourinho, given he missed Sunday’s Manchester derby through injury.

The World Cup winner was in the stands for the 3-1 defeat, despite being fit enough to feature in last Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over Juventus in the Champions League.

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Pogba is still unlikely to feature in Friday’s game, with Mourinho speaking to Sky Sports about his injury: “Paul is injured. He was injured during the game in Turin. He resisted. He felt that he could resist.

“He felt that it was such a crucial match for the team. He made that sacrifice for us, and then it was impossible for him to recover for this match.

“He is a very important player for us. People sometimes like to focus on the little problems in his performance, and we do the same. We try to make him the complete player, but his qualities are so good and so important for the team at many different levels.


“Of course we are going to miss him, but I am just speaking about Paul because you asked me. Our profile is to forget that he is not available though and to focus on the ones that are and to trust the ones that are going to play.”

Despite the injury, France’s federation are entitled to ask him to be examined by their own medical team. While a national team can and does often accept the explanation of a club side over a player’s fitness, they are not obliged to do so.

Mourinho and the United backroom staff are given no say over whether Pogba or any other player on international duty are fit enough to perform for their country. Given Pogba was only mentioned as a doubt rather than a definitely injured player before Sunday’s game, however, the midfielder might be able to recover in time for Friday’s game.