an “unprecedented sanction” against Lionel Messi after his trip to Saudi Arabia, according to L’Équipe

“The club had never taken such a sanction against a player”, it’s a “unprecedented punishment”reacts Jean-Baptiste Renet, editor-in-chief of the newspaper The Team guest of franceinfo on Tuesday May 2, after the suspension of Lionel Messi by Paris Saint-Germain. The Argentine footballer was pinned for leaving for Saudi Arabia on Monday May 1, the day after the defeat (3-1) against Lorient when all the players were called to training. The Team claims that Lionel Messi has been suspended for 15 days by his club.

This disciplinary procedure “comes at a time when the two parties were more or less discussing a possible extension”, emphasizes the sports journalist. “This decision marks the end of discussions, Lionel Messi will not extend his contract”, he says. The player still had an optional contract year, but he will leave after two years.

According to Jean-Baptiste Renet, “not everyone at the club was on the same wavelength”. “The sporting management was no longer very keen on extending it for a year while the owners in Qatar wanted to keep this global brand that is Lionel Messi”, explains the journalist The Team. He believes that PSG, often accused of laxity towards its players, “wanted to make an example”.