The Argentine traveled with permission, but without waiting as the team’s schedule changed after Sunday’s loss

L’Equipe have reported that Lionel Messi‘s trip to Saudi Arabia has sparked controversy after the player traveled on Monday while Paris Saint-Germain were training.

The trip has not pleased the club, but that had a commercial justification. According to sources consulted by MARCA, Messi asked PSG for permission to travel because it was a commitment that could not be canceled again, given that there was no training on Monday and Tuesday… as always when the game is played on Sunday and there is no midweek match (the next match is on the following Sunday, the May 7).

That is why Leo was engaged in a commercial trip to Saudi Arabia at this time. In fact, Messi had already on two previous occasions canceled this trip because, as happened also this time, PSG suffered defeats in the run-up. One of them was after the Champions League elimination against Bayern Munich and another after a defeat in Ligue 1.

But this trip, according to sources consulted by MARCA, was impossible to cancel it again because in Saudi Arabia the season of high temperatures is beginning and there was no option to delay it for the third time.

As L’Equipe notes, PSG changed its plan, and put training on Monday, after losing, but it was too late, as the player was already out of France.

The controversy does not help for a renewal with the Parisian club, which now seems distant, but remains on the table.

SRC: https://www.marca.com/