Lionel Messi has reportedly been suspended by PSG for two weeks after making an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia. PSG boss Christophe Galtier had reportedly told PSG players that they would be given Monday and Tuesday off from training if they defeat Lorient. They were however defeated 3-1 by Lorient on Sunday, April 30, and the players were called in for training on Monday, May 1.
ESPN reported that Messi flew to Saudi Arabia following the defeat and did not report to training on Monday. PSG initially considered handing the 35-year-old a fine, as “the situation created tensions within the dressing room, with some players unhappy with the incident.” Popular journalist, Fabrizio Romano reported that PSG has decided to suspend Lionel Messi for two weeks (two games), perhaps complicating any ongoing negotiations for a new contract. 
He tweeted; “Paris Saint-Germain have decided to suspend Lionel Messi with immediate effect for two weeks, sources confirm. The suspension will take place now after Messi’s trip to Saudi NOT authorized by the club as per @RMCSport. Messi side, still waiting on official communication.” 🚨 Paris Saint-Germain have decided to suspend Lionel Messi with immediate effect for two weeks, sources confirm. The suspension will take place now after Messi’s trip to Saudi NOT authorized by the club as per @RMCSport. Messi side, still waiting on official communication. pic.twitter.com/j223WK2r5Z — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 2, 2023 Messi’s PSG contract is set to expire after this season, with widely reported interest from MLS (Inter Miami) and Saudi Arabia (Al Hilal). Barcelona has also explored the possibility of bringing Messi back to Camp Nou following his dramatic departure in the summer of 2021.
Messi is heading toward becoming a free agent as his deal with PSG expires at the end of this season. There’s no offer yet for a contract extension. There have been reports of interest from MLS and the Middle East, but strong professional ties to Camp Nou mean that a stunning retracing of steps could take the 35-year-old back to Catalunya. Confirming that considering re-signing Messi, Yuste said; 
Recall that ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 second leg with Bayern Munich, PSG announced that Neymar will miss the rest of the season after undergoing an ankle surgery. The 31-year-old has been directly involved in 34 goals this term, which is behind only team-mate Kylian Mbappe (37) and Erling Haaland (38) across Europe’s top five leagues. Commenting on Neymar’s absence, Galtier said Mbappe and Lionel Messi have already worked out a better partnership. 
He said; “I’ve read the debate around Neymar. It’s unfortunate for him and a handicap for the team. Look at his goals and assists this season. When I read that it could be a good thing for us, no! The player is seriously injured. “He’s always been professional since I’ve been here, though he did have a difficult period after the World Cup. “Is the team better balanced? Yes. But is it better like that? Having Neymar in the squad is an additional asset for us to score goals.” 
The Athletic reported that while the Ligue 1 side appeared to have it all wrapped up with the player agreeing to the move and having already flown to Paris to complete a medical, Chelsea failed to file the necessary paperwork before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, with a source from PSG labelling the situation a “Class A circus”. Multiple reports from France say that Chelsea sent the incorrect documents over to PSG on THREE occasions, holding up the deal. ‼️🚨 Chelsea sent the wrong documents for the Hakim Ziyech deal 3 times! PSG will appeal this tomorrow morning in view of the attitude from the English club, reports @bruno_salomon. — EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) January 31, 2023 It was gathered that the right document was sent at midnight local time (23:00 English time), far too late for a deal to go through. PSG are now set to lodge an appeal with the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), although given their ruthlessness in similar cases in the past, it is thought to be unlikely that the situation will be resolved. If PSG wins their appeal, the Morocco international will join the capital club and fill the role left behind by Pablo Sarabia, who exited for Wolverhampton Wanderers last month. However, if the commission denies the appeal, Ziyech will return to Chelsea with an uncertain future as the English club moves in a different direction that doesn’t include the winger. 
The gaffe evoked memories of David de Gea’s mooted dream move to Real Madrid allegedly being scuppered due to a faulty fax machine in 2015. Ziyech, a £33 million signing in 2020, is now left in limbo and will be anxiously waiting for the transfer to get the green light. 
