Champion League Trending News -In his pre match press conference ahead Manchester United’s final Champions League group stage match at home to CSKA Moscow, Manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that star midfielder -Paul Pogba- will be in his starting eleven for the game.
The French midfield enforcer saw red in United’s last game, a 3:1 win over Arsenal in the Premier League. Pogba had been adjudged to have stamped, Arsenal’s right back and Spain International, Hector Bellerin, and had been shown a straight red by the referee.
United, through their official platforms have confirmed that they will not launch an appeal against the decision and following the FA’s decision to overlook the France International’s sarcastic clapping of his hands after being sent off, it appears that Pogba will only serve the mandatory three game suspension for his red card which has effectively ruled him out of the crucial Manchester derby in the weekend.
Speaking about Pogba, Mourinho said: “Paul is not suspended for the Champions League. He plays tomorrow“.
Meanwhile United’s number one shot stopper David De Gea, who was in imperious form against Arsenal, will not feature in the game as Argentine goal keep Sergio Romero will be favored in between the sticks against the Russian Champions.
Mourinho was in a jocular mood during the pre match exercise as he threw a subtle joke regarding the Spaniard.According to the Portuguese, De Gea will only be the third best goalkeeper in the world on Tuesday.
He had said: “Romero is the best because he plays and my goalkeeper is always best in the world. David is third best. Romero first, Joel [Pereira] second and David third best”.
Also set to miss out is iconic Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic who is still working his way to full fitness following his long layoff.
Regarding Ibrahimovic, Mourinho was quoted to have said: “Zlatan is not injured. He needs sometimes very hard work on the area that supports the knee that had the problem. When the hard work starts and fatigue comes, for that period of time he cannot play for these days.
“The decision was to do that after Watford. He is in a cycle of work, in the gym and on the pitch. He is out again for tomorrow but back to normal after CSKA.”
Rounding off United’s list of absentees are Phil Jones, Eric Bailly, Marouane Fellaini and Michael Carrick.
United need a point against Russian side CSKA at Old Trafford on Tuesday to be sure of topping Group A in the Champions League.