France manager Didier Deschamps on Monday said that Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba "can't be happy" with his situation at Old Trafford.
Pogba, 25, arrived at United from Juventus in 2016 for a then-world record fee of £89 million. But he was an unused substitute in Saturday's FA Cup win over Brighton after being left out of the starting line-up for the Uefa Champions League loss to Sevilla.
"I don't know why that is," Deschamps said ahead of France's friendly internationals with Colombia and Russia. "I have not spoken to Paul yet, I'm sure I'll hear more about it. But of course it's a situation he won't be enjoying.
"As to why or how things came to this, there may be many reasons."
Deschamps played down any potential rift between the player and Mourinho. "I have a great deal of talks with players at our training camps, to gauge their feelings. It's not just Paul."
Pogba has started just 24 matches for United this season, with manager Mourinho preferring Marouane Fellaini and youngster Scott McTominay in recent weeks.
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Deschamps' France, one of the favourites for the World Cup in Russia, face Colombia in Paris on Friday before travelling for a match in St Petersburg on March 27.
Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele is back in the France squad after recent struggles with injury, having finally scored his first goal for the Catalan giants against Chelsea after signing last year from Borussia Dortmund for €105m.
Deschamps said he has been encouraged by the 20-year-old player's form since his return to Enersto Valverde's side.
"He has come back well, he's been able to play several matches over the last three weeks and he's better than he was a fortnight ago," Deschamps said. "He must still assert himself to be more decisive."
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if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.5L/100km
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The specs
Powertrain: Single electric motor
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Torque: 310Nm
Transmission: Single-speed auto
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Touring range: 350km (GS); 480km (GF)
Price: From Dh129,900 (GS); Dh149,000 (GF)
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Company Profile
Name: HyveGeo
Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
Based: Cambridge and Dubai
Number of employees: 8
Industry: Sustainability & Environment
Funding: $200,000 plus undisclosed grant
Investors: Venture capital and government
Kill
Director: Nikhil Nagesh Bhat
Starring: Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala, Ashish Vidyarthi, Harsh Chhaya, Raghav Juyal
Rating: 4.5/5
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
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1. Singapore
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Almouneer
Started: 2017
Founders: Dr Noha Khater and Rania Kadry
Based: Egypt
Number of staff: 120
Investment: Bootstrapped, with support from Insead and Egyptian government, seed round of
$3.6 million led by Global Ventures
Results
2.30pm: Expo 2020 Dubai – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Barakka, Ray Dawson (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
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Mobile phone packages comparison
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
INVESTMENT PLEDGES
Cartlow: $13.4m
Rabbitmart: $14m
Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
Profile of Tamatem
Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
Based: Amman, Jordan
Employees: 55
Funding: $6m
Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media
