Paris Saint-Germain have suspended Lionel Messi for two weeks and fined the Argentina international after he took an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia with his family as part of a promotional commercial agreement. He now looks set to leave the club with his contract expected to expire without any renewal this summer.
The 35-year-old was not granted time off after the French champions lost 3-1 at home to Lorient over the weekend and was absent when his teammates trained on Monday after a rest period was canceled because of the result. Messi will not take part in any Ligue 1 games over a two-week period from May 2 and will not be included in squad training sessions either on top of a heavy fine for being thousands of miles away without warning.
The Argentine FIFA 2022 World Cup winner will not feature against at least Troyes which potentially leaves just Ajaccio, Auxerre, Strasbourg and Clermont as potential opponents before the end of this season. Despite Messi's contract expiring as PSG chase an historic 11th French title, chairman and CEO Nasser Al-Khelaifi considers this a statement regarding discipline at the club. It is a message of zero tolerance with his treatment of Messi and players are required to show respect for the club, as well as its fans and communities.
Kylian Mbappe's extended contract last year was the start of a culture change away from players who view themselves as bigger than the PSG institution and that is expected to continue this summer with the South American's contract expiration part of the next step.
Internal processes dictate that unauthorized absence from training justifies a hardline stance -- as it would do it any form of employment -- and such a display against a worldwide recognized name like Messi is thought to illustrate the weight and insistence from management regarding discipline.
