Messi through the dust after fuss over missed training: ‘Apologies to my teammates’

Lionel Messi has apologized to his teammates following the fuss over PSG training he missed due to a commercial trip to Saudi Arabia. The Argentine superstar was suspended by the French club for two weeks.

“I thought, as always, we would have a day off after the game,” Messi said Friday in a video on Instagram. “I had planned this trip and I couldn’t cancel it. I apologize to my teammates and wait to see what the club wants to do with me.”

His coach Christophe Galtier could not or would not say much about that earlier in the day. “We will see when Leo is back soon. I will talk about it with the club, but of course also with himself.”

Messi is Saudi Arabia’s tourist ambassador, so he and his family flew to the Gulf state on Monday. Initially, this was not a problem because PSG’s selection would have two days off.

However, coach Christophe Galtier had withdrawn one of those days off after last Sunday’s embarrassing 3-1 home defeat against Lorient. He expected everyone on the training field on Monday, but Messi was already on his way to the Gulf state at that time.

It was written by several French media that Messi is likely to leave PSG after this season. A transfer to a Saudi club or to his old love FC Barcelona seems obvious.

Meanwhile, PSG’s hard core has turned against Messi. On Wednesday, they drafted a statement. In it, the supporters address themselves against “parasitic” players, who they say should get involved or else just leave.