The background to the split between PSG and Messi

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Paris Saint-Germain had long hoped that Lionel Messi (35) would extend his contract in the City of Lights. By Tuesday at the latest, the suspension of the world champion will mean the end of Messi’s era in Paris.

On Tuesday, “La Pulga” is excluded from all training sessions and matches for two weeks. The Argentinian will also receive a salary reduction for the same period. Ground? Messi is accused of failing to fulfill his obligations under the employment contract. Messi stayed out of training on Monday while in Saudi Arabia to fulfill his duties as tourism ambassador for the desert state.

Change of direction at PSG

It is a drastic punishment that does not suit Paris Saint-Germain at all. The club has a reputation for tolerating the occasional misstep of its stars. This should be over now. With his commitment last summer, coach Christophe Galtier urged more discipline at the capital club, for the implementation of which advisor Luis Campos was also brought on board. Means: higher demands on the junk worth millions (882.55 million euros market value) and less freedom, ergo: violations are punished more severely.

That figurehead Lionel Messi – seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and world champion – is hit shows the change of course in Paris and sends a signal to the rest of the team. The club sets the Argentinian as an example.

Riyadh instead of training

Because as “L’Équipe” from the Messi area knows, the trip to Riyadh should have been planned long ago. In addition, the club would have been aware of the visit. The problem: there were actually two rest days planned after Lorient’s game on Sunday, but only if there was a win. Too bad that PSG lost 1: 3 in the Prinsenpark – the rest days were cancelled. Messi still left without informing those responsible. According to “L’Équipe”, the visit to Saudi Arabia has already been postponed twice and another postponement on Monday would have been too complicated, as everything was already prepared for Messi’s arrival in Riyadh.

All these arguments are of no interest to the PSG officials. In fact, Messi stayed away from training without excuse. Messi will be punished.

A goddamn love triangle

Messi’s commitment as a tourism ambassador to Saudi Arabia was already known to PSG when he signed in 2021 and was already causing headaches for Qatar’s owners. The triangular relationship between Messi, Saudi Arabia and PSG has some explosiveness. Relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia remain tense even after the end of the Qatar crisis. In 2017, Saudi Arabia accused Qatar of supporting terrorist groups in the region. Diplomatic relations were then suspended for four years and the border closed.

Despite everything, Messi was hailed as king when he signed in Paris in 2021. Two years later, the euphoria faded. Doha insisted on a contract extension with Messi after the World Cup victory in Qatar, but the last negotiations came to nothing two weeks ago. There probably won’t be any new ones.

With the suspension, the band has now been cut permanently. Staying in Paris is no longer conceivable. Or, as L’Équipe writes: “With the banishment, the divorce was complete.” (jsl)

Source : Blick