The Paris Saint-Germain forward, Lionel Messi, has been suspended for two weeks after an unauthorised trip for two days to Saudi Arabia and will not have his contract renewed, French sports daily L’Equipe has reported.
The Argentina World Cup winner is banned from playing or training with the team, and his pay will be docked during his suspension, the report said.
Messi signed an optional third-season clause in his contract when he first arrived in 2021. Club officials have decided not to activate it, the report said.
Messi, who has a role as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia, will miss the Ligue 1 matches against Troyes and Ajaccio but may return for the match against Auxerre on 21 May. PSG are top of the standings with 75 points from 33 matches. Messi started in PSG’s 3-1 home defeat by Lorient on Sunday. PSG top the table by five points from second-placed Marseille.
The Saudia Arabia minister of tourism, Ahmed al Khateeb, posted a welcome message to Messi on Twitter on Monday and on Tuesday posted further photos of Messi and his family visiting the country.
Source: The Guardian, Reuters