Lionel Messi suspended by club over Saudi Arabia controversy

Not even soccer’s arguable GOAT is immune to discipline.

Leading soccer reporter Fabrizio Romano reported on Tuesday that Lionel Messi has been suspended for two weeks by his club, Paris Saint-Germain in France, effective immediately. The move comes after the star forward Messi recently made an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia.

Julien Laurens of ESPN added that Messi, who has a sponsorship deal as a Saudi ambassador, did not have the approval of PSG manager Christophe Galtier to make the trip. Galtier reportedly told his players that they would have two days off from training (Monday and Tuesday) if they beat fellow French club Lorient in their match on Sunday. PSG lost 3-1 to Lorient, however, resulting in the players being called in for training on Monday. Messi made the trip to Saudi Arabia on Monday anyway, Laurens added, missing training with his teammates to do so.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner reportedly will not be paid during his suspension for the unauthorized trip, which is also said to have caused tensions within PSG’s dressing room.

Messi was on top of the world over the last several months after leading his native Argentina to its first World Cup title in three-and-a-half decades, but he has had a bit less success at the club level this season with PSG. In spite of having three of the world’s top superstars in Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar (on top of other well-known veterans such as Sergio Ramos and Marco Verratti), PSG are still fighting off Marseille and Lens for the Ligue 1 title this year (something that they usually run away with).

Additionally, Messi’s contract with PSG expires after the season, and he has received interest from MLS club Inter Miami, Saudi club Al Hilal and his longtime former La Liga club FC Barcelona. This latest incident will only further fuel uncertainty over Messi’s future at PSG.