From zonalmarking.net's France-Spain analysis:
Xavi was seemingly not 100% fit, and didn’t have his usual influence – he dropped very deep into midfield to get away from Pogba, or made runs in support of Villa, but didn’t really influence the game in that 'number ten’ position, and Spain created little from that zone. Pogba, however,
should be praised for his good defensive work – his positional discipline was as admirable as his power in the tackle.
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And from http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/1116?cc=3888:
It's rare that a player sent off in a crucial qualifier has enhanced his international reputation, but that sums up how commanding Paul Pogba was for France this week -- first in a 3-1 win over Georgia, then in the narrow 1-0 defeat to Spain.
The dismissal was rather harsh. The first booking came following an aerial challenge with Xabi Alonso -- Pogba's feet were high, but primarily because of his tremendous leap. He showed his inexperience when collecting a second booking 90 seconds later for a foul on Xavi Hernandez, but Pogba insists it shouldn't have been a second yellow. "I hardly touched him," the Juventus midfielder insisted. "Yes, there was contact with his foot, but he started screaming and only then did the referee pull out the second yellow card." Once Pogba's suspension is served, he'll surely return to the side immediately.
Didier Deschamps, a holding midfielder himself, will have thoroughly enjoyed Pogba's display against Spain. Against the most renowned midfielders in the world, Pogba's positional sense was faultless and his tackling was -- until his red card -- calm and effective. Spain dominated possession, of course, but very few of their opportunities came from central positions in Pogba's zone -- they either hit the ball over the defence to Pedro Rodriguez and David Villa, or attacked through left-back Nacho Monreal's overlapping runs. With Yohan Cabaye and Blaise Matuidi scrapping ahead of him, Pogba helped nullify Spain's most talented players.
Like Kovacic, his positivity in possession was also striking, and this helped France counter-attack. Spain's pressing often scares opponents into panicked forward passes, but Pogba had the confidence to
slalom past the likes of Xavi and Andres Iniesta.