PSG Slaps Lionel Messi With 2-Week Suspension -- Here's Why

Argentinian soccer superstar Lionel Messi was suspended by his team, Paris Saint-Germain, after he traveled to Saudi Arabia without authorization.

This means that Messi will not be able to train with the first team while he is serving his suspension, nor will he be paid during this time. This is the latest drama in Messi's ordeal with PSG, as news that he is leaving the team is growing louder.

According to ESPN, Messi actually asked the team management if he could go to Saudi Arabia to honor his sponsorship deal as a Saudi ambassador. However, he reportedly did not ask again but did not show up for training on Monday as the team required him to do.

French newspaper L'Equipe reported that PSG manager Christophe Galtier told his players that they would have two days off, Monday and Tuesday, if they beat Lorient on Sunday. However, the club lost that match in a 3-1 defeat, resulting in the players being called in for training on Monday.

Sources with knowledge of the situation revealed that Lionel Messi's suspension created tensions within the dressing room, as several players seem to be unhappy with the incident.

Is Lionel Messi Leaving PSG as a Free Agent?

The day Messi left for Saudi Arabia, Monday, was the first day of the last month of his PSG contract. Many are now treating Messi's actions as a sign that he might be leaving Paris for greener pastures.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Saudi Arabia has a frosty relationship with its Gulf neighbor Qatar, which owns PSG. While Messi went to Saudi Arabia to fulfill his contract obligations, the rest of his Qatar-owned team back in Paris was training hard.

Where Could Lionel Messi Go Next?

This once again sparked talks on where Messi could go next, with Major League Soccer's Inter Miami being strongly linked to the Argentinian forward. However, there have also been suggestions that he could come back and play in the local Argentinian league, something which he has never done before, or go back to FC Barcelona, where his career began. The latter might be unlikely, as Barca is in the middle of a financial crisis.

There also seem to be offers from Saudi Arabia worth nine figures. However, the league there may not be able to offer the Argentinian a "viable level of competition and global relevance" as compared to all his other options.

Then there is his home country of Argentina, where he did not actually play professionally at all. So far, only two teams might be able to afford him, and they are the so-called "big 2," eternal rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate. This is a rivalry that has divided Buenos Aires, and Messi might not want to stoke the flames, given that his picking a side might cause further conflict.

As for Inter Miami, it has been described by Yahoo! Sports as a "massive market and a growing league, whose commissioner has indicated a willingness to be creative."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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