Why was Lionel Messi punished by PSG? New report details surprise reason for Argentine star's 2-week suspension
Lionel Messi was recently handed a two week suspension by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for his 'unauthorised' trip to Saudi Arabia. A new report from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo has now suggested the surprise reason behind the Parisians suspending the Argentine superstar.
Messi's future at the club is already in doubt, as the 35-year-old is in the final months of his contract but is yet to pen an extension. While the club have reportedly offered him a renewal, Messi is reluctant to sign it due to the lack of vision of sporting director Luis Campos.
The Parisians were recently eliminated from the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League by Bayern Munich. That didn't reportedly sit well with the player, who's is unsure of the club's ambitions.
Hence, Messi hasn't yet committed to his future. The stance hasn't gone well with PSG, though, according to the aforementioned Mundo Deportivo report. Hence, they have decided to punish the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner for his trip to Saudi Arabia, which came a day after their shock 3-1 Ligue 1 home loss to Lorient.
Messi will now miss the league clashes against Troyes (away- May 7) and Ajaccio (home- May 13).
Lionel Messi might only play three more games for PSG
PSG are already out of the UEFA Champions League and the Coupe de France. Hence, Ligue 1 is the only competition that the team is active at the moment. They have five league games remaining this campaign.
Considering Lionel Messi is suspended for two of them, he might play for the French club only three more times. Away clashes against Auxerre (May 21) and Strasbourg (May 27) and a home showdown against Clermont Foot (June 3) are the Parisians' last three games of the season.
Fans might see the last of the Argentine for the Ligue 1 giants, as his future remains uncertain. He joined the club in the summer of 2021 and has scored 31 goals and provided 34 assists in 71 games across competitions.