According to reports, Paris Saint-Germain has suspended Lionel Messi for two weeks for skipping training on Monday to visit Saudi Arabia.
Messi won’t be paid during his suspension, and he won’t take part in practice or games for the starting lineup, according to ESPN.
The PSG manager, Christophe Galtier, reportedly told his players that if they won against Lorient on Sunday, they would get Monday and Tuesday off from exercise, but if they lost, they would have to show up for session on Monday.
Messi asked permission to honor his sponsorship commitment as a Saudi ambassador, and Galtier and athletic director Luis Campos granted him permission to go in the case of a win or a tie.
However, sources told ESPN that Messi flew to Saudi Arabia without getting another approval after PSG’s humiliating 3-1 loss to Lorient, their third loss in their previous four league games, preventing him from participating in practice on Monday.
There were tensions in the locker room as a result of the incident, according to sources who talked with ESPN. Some players were also outraged.
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.
