PSG suspend Lionel Messi for 2 weeks
Lionel Messi has reportedly been given a two-week suspension by Paris Saint-Germain for missing training on Monday to travel to Saudi Arabia.
According to ESPN, Messi won’t be paid during his ban and won’t practice or play for the starting lineup.
According to the French daily L’Equipe, PSG manager Christophe Galtier informed his players that if they defeated Lorient on Sunday, they would get two days off, Monday and Tuesday, but if they lost, they would have to report to practice on Monday.
Galtier and sporting director Luis Campos granted Messi permission to go in the event of a victory or draw after he requested permission to honour his sponsorship agreement as a Saudi ambassador.
But after PSG’s humiliating 3-1 loss to Lorient, their third defeat in their previous four league games, sources told ESPN that Messi flew to Saudi Arabia without seeking another approval, which prevented him from going to practice on Monday.
According to sources who spoke to ESPN, the event led to tensions in the locker room and some players were upset.
The World Cup winner’s ongoing contract extension negotiations have made the issue more challenging. At the conclusion of the current campaign, Messi’s contract at Parc des Princes is set to expire.
Barcelona is considering Messi’s potential re-signing, but LaLiga president Javier Tebas has cautioned that the league will not alter its financial fair play policies to let him do so.
