Lionel Messi is not part of Paris Saint-Germain’s 19-man match selection for next Sunday’s league match with Troyes. The Argentinian star player did not appear at PSG training on Monday because he was in Saudi Arabia to promote that country as an ambassador. The unexpected absence resulted in Messi facing a hefty penalty: he was suspended for two weeks and will not receive a salary during that period. The attacker apologized, but the French superpower appears to be unrelenting.
PSG announced the match selection for the game against Troyes on Saturday afternoon. Messi is the big absentee. While the club has not provided details of the attacker’s suspension, it is believed he is serving his suspension against Troyes. If PSG does not lift it, Messi will also not be there against Ajaccio (May 13). He may then make his comeback against Auxerre on May 21. PSG currently has a five-point lead over pursuers Olympique Marseille in Ligue 1 with five games to go.
???? Le groupe parisien pour le déplacement à Troyes ce dimanche. #ESTACPSG i #Ligue1
— Paris Saint Germain (@PSG_inside) May 6, 2023
The plan was that the PSG players would get two days rest if they managed to win last Sunday’s league game with Lorient, hence Messi’s planned trip to Saudi Arabia. However, the harrowing 1-3 defeat changed the club’s plans. Head coach Christophe Galtier decided that his squad would start training the day after the defeat. They eventually did, without Messi.
The assailant then gave his side of the story. “I thought, as always, we would have a day off after the game (against Lorient, 1-3 defeat, ed.)”, the world champion said in an Instagram story on Friday. “I planned this trip and I couldn’t cancel it. I had done that once before. I want to apologize to my teammates and wait to see what the club has in mind for me.”