Soccer: Messi to Face Disciplinary Action Over Saudi Trip

Facts

• Superstar forward for the French soccer team Paris St Germain (PSG), Lionel Messi, will reportedly not have his contract renewed after he took an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia. Messi had signed an optional third-season clause in the contract, but team officials won't activate it.¹
• Messi, who missed practice due to the trip, will reportedly also face a two-week suspension from practice and gameplay without pay. One source claimed the team never authorized the World Cup champion's Saudi trip, where he has a commercial contract to promote tourism.²
• The suspension came after PSG's 3-1 loss to Lorient. The team was reportedly supposed to receive two days off if they won and Messi was to get permission to travel, but both were denied following the loss.³
• After playing the whole game during the 3-1 loss, Messi will now miss Ligue 1 matches against Troyes and Ajaccio but may return for the match against Auxerre on May 21. PSG is in first place, with a 5 points advantage over Marseille.⁴
• As PSG has failed to reach the round of 16 in the Champions League tournament since signing Messi two seasons ago, along with the collapsed contract negotiations, there has been speculation as to where the 35-year-old might head next.²
• Possibilities include returning to Barcelona, where he played from 2014-2021 before switching to PSG, though whether they could afford him or not was the original reason for his departure. Heading to the MLS in the US has also been rumored, particularly to Miami.³

Sources: ¹Khaleej Times, ²Al Jazeera, ³FOX News, and ⁴Guardian.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The Athletic. Though his contract allows him to sign any promotional contracts he wants, Messi still disrespected his team at a time when they cannot afford to appear unprofessional. PSG, which has already failed to win a title since signing the superstar, has continued to struggle to maintain what should be an easy first-place position. Cutting ties with him is likely the best decision for both parties.
• Narrative B, as provided by Futbol on FanNation. It's not unfair to say that PSG knew who it was signing when adding soccer phenom Lionel Messi to the roster. It's not uncommon for players to take days off after a game and, though the team asked him not to go to Saudi Arabia, his trip had been planned weeks in advance and would have been approved if they had won. This seems like an unnecessary feud between a struggling team and its number-one player.