Lionel Messi has been criticised by Barcelona legend Rivaldo after the superstar was suspended by Paris Saint-Germain following an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia, with a comparison made to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi’s PSG teammates were left ‘shocked’ after he took an unapproved trip to the Middle East on Monday. The Argentine superstar is contractually obliged visit to the Gulf State as part of his role as tourism ambassador to the nation, but he did not inform anyone at PSG of his trip.
That left many teammates bemused as to why the 35-year-old was not among them when they arrived at training on Monday. It comes with the star being expected to leave PSG when his contract expires at the end of the current season, as reported by Mirror Football . The club are no longer prioritising his contract renewal.
Messi, 35, was aware that he would be required to be at training alongside his club teammates on Monday, as that is protocol for the players after losing a match that weekend. PSG crashed to a 3-1 home defeat to Lorient in Ligue 1 at the weekend.
That result helped open up the title race – leaving the out-of-form capital club just five points ahead of Marseille ahead of the league run-in. Yet Messi has been suspended for two weeks, meaning he will miss at least two matches and cannot use the club’s training facilities in that timeframe.
“It made me a little sad to see Lionel Messi take this kind of attitude,” Rivaldo explained, in quotes carried by Diario AS, where he added that Messi would be sad if he moves to Saudi Arabia permanently, in a comparison to Ronaldo at Al-Nassr. “It was disrespectful towards his current club, something that is unusual in his career, which has always been marked by a clean sheet in terms of discipline.
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“He certainly could have done it differently. He had alternatives – to talk to the club, wait for the Saudi leaders to come to Paris or even wait for the end of the season – to reach an understanding with PSG without causing this internal problem.”
Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb tweeted on Monday, alongside several pictures of Messi’s trip: “I am happy to welcome #Messi and his family to Saudi to enjoy the magical tourist destinations and authentic experiences. We welcome visitors from all around the world to experience a unique trip to Saudi Arabia and its hospitality. #WelcomeMessi”
On Sunday, Messi posted a message on his Instagram account (shared by the official tourism board page), appearing to announce his impending trip. "Who thought Saudi Arabia had so much greenery? I like to explore its unexpected wonders whenever I can."
