Lionel Messi Leaves Sanctions, Now Ready To Take Action Again

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player, Lionel Messi. (Photo: Twitter/@PSG_Inside)

JAKARTA - Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player, Lionel Messi, has been released from a two-week sanction from the club for going to Saudi Arabia without permission. Messi has been training again on Monday morning, local time.

"Leo Messi has returned to training on Monday morning," PSG wrote on their official Twitter account.

In addition to sanctions, the 35-year-old player also received a partial reduction in his salary as a result of his trip to Saudi Arabia.

Messi himself went to Saudi Arabia for promoting tourism in the country. He has signed a contract of 25 million pounds (around Rp460 billion) per year last year to become Saudi Arabia's tourism ambassador.

Messi was not played when PSG won 3-1 over Troyes in Ligue 1 France, but he is now training again with his team-mates and is expected to play when PSG host Ajaccio this weekend.

Messi, through a video on his Instagram account, apologized to PSG and his team-mate for leaving without permission from his club to the Middle Eastern country earlier last week.

In the video, Messi feels that he has an empty schedule after the game when he goes to Saudi Arabia. However, coach Christophe Galtier asked his players to train immediately after PSG lost 1-3 to Lorient on Sunday, April 30.

"I honestly think that I have an empty schedule after the game, as has happened in recent weeks. I have planned a trip to Saudi Arabia that has previously been canceled, and I can't cancel it anymore," Messi said, as reported by the Daily Mail via Antara.