Lionel Messi Suspended For Two Weeks By PSG Over Unapproved Trip To Saudi Arabia
Lionel Messi’s unauthorized family holiday to Saudi Arabia led to his suspension by Paris Saint-Germain, and the club informed him that they will not renew his contract.
Despite having a commercial contract with Saudi Arabia to promote tourism, Lionel Messi’s request for a family holiday in the Kingdom was reportedly denied by his club, according to L’Equipe.
However, Messi and his family still went ahead with the trip and visited various cultural sites, such as an authentic Saudi farm and a palm-weaving demonstration.
Although Messi’s contract with Paris Saint-Germain has an optional third-season clause, it has been widely speculated that he will not extend his stay at the Parc des Princes.
As a result of his unapproved holiday, his suspension period is for two weeks, causing him to miss PSG’s upcoming games against Troyes and Ajaccio, but he may return for the match against Auxerre on May 21.
Paris Saint-Germain
PSG holds the top spot in the Ligue 1 standings with 75 points from 33 matches, maintaining a five-point lead over rivals Marseille. Messi played in PSG’s 3-1 home defeat against Lorient on Sunday.
According to L’Equipe, PSG coach Christophe Galtier promised to give his players two days off – Monday and Tuesday – if they won against Lorient. However, the team trained on Monday and took Tuesday off instead.
PSG acquired the forward from Barcelona two years ago with the expectation that he would lead the team to a coveted Champions League title. However, the Qatari-backed club suffered a consecutive round of 16 eliminations instead.
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There have been rumours regarding where he might play next, particularly following claims that contract negotiations with PSG had fallen through.
A few PSG supporters have even booed Messi due to the team’s erratic season.
