With Lionel Messi’s future Paris Saint-Germain uncertain, his up-and-down tenure in the French capital has taken a turn for the worse.
The Argentine superstar will reportedly be suspended for two weeks after he took a trip to Saudi Arabia and missed Monday training following PSG’s 3–1 defeat to mid-table Lorient on Sunday, per ESPN’s Julien Laurens.
Manager Christophe Galtier and sporting director Luís Campos reportedly signed off on the travel plans—but only if the squad had won at the weekend. Messi still flew to Saudi Arabia without permission. The 35-year-old is a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia.
Messi will not train with the team for the length of his suspension, missing fixtures against Troyes and Ajaccio, per ESPN.
The punishment marks what’s been a largely unfulfilling tenure for Messi in Paris. After a disappointing first season in Ligue 1 last year, he started this season well, carrying strong form in the league to a World Cup victory in Qatar. But results have been disappointing since that monthlong break in November, as PSG crashed out of the Champions League and has now lost three of its last six matches.
Messi’s two-year contract with the club expires in May. PSG’s attempts to renew his contract have reportedly stalled, and a potential return to Barcelona is among his rumored next moves. The suspension of the World Cup winner will likely only serve to further complicate the relationship between Messi and PSG in the final months of his contract.
