(Reuters) – Lionel Messi apologised to Paris St Germain and his team mates on Friday after being suspended for making a trip to Saudi Arabia, missing a training session as a result.
French media reported that Messi was suspended for two weeks after an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia when he was supposed to train with the squad following the Ligue 1 leaders’ 3-1 defeat at home to Lorient on Sunday.
“I sincerely believed that I would have the day off after the game as had been happening in previous weeks. I had this trip organised and I couldn’t cancel it, I had already cancelled it before,” Messi said in a video on Instagram.
“I apologise to my team mates and I’m waiting for what the club wants to do with me,” added the Argentina forward.
PSG boss Christophe Galtier said earlier on Friday that he had nothing to do with the club’s decision to suspend Messi, who is set to miss the next two matches at Troyes and home to Ajaccio as they look to keep their Ligue 1 lead intact.
PSG are five points clear of Olympique de Marseille with five matches left in the season.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru and Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
