By Agency Report

French Ligue 1 champions, Paris Saint-Germain has slammed a two-week suspension on its attacker and World Cup winner, Lionel Messi for embarking on on a trip to Saudi Arabia without authorisation

The Ligue 1 leaders handed Messi a club ban and a fine after the star made a mid-season trip to Saudi Arabia last week

The 35-year-old took a trip to Saudi Arabia after PSG’s Ligue 1 defeat to Lorient. The move was reportedly not approved by manager Christophe Galtier, with the club having since taken action.

The Argentina international will miss fixtures against Troyes this weekend and Ajaccio on May 13, with PSG five points clear at the top of the table.

Messi, who is set to leave the club in the summer at the expiration of the two-year contract he signed in 2021, has been linked with a move to the Middle East.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner was spotted at Riyadh airport as part of a visit relating to his role as a tourism ambassador in the country, the dat after their defeat against Lorient on Monday.

Messi received a backlash following the trip, with team-mates said to have been left shocked. The Argentina international, a World Cup winner with his country in 2022, is a tourism ambassador for the Middle East nation but was not given permission by Galtier to take the trip.