Lionel Messi back training with Paris Saint-Germain after suspension

Lionel Messi has returned to training with Paris Saint-Germain after his suspension over an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia. The Ligue 1 club tweeted a photograph of the World Cup winner in training kit with the message: “Leo Messi back in training this Monday morning.”

Messi, an ambassador for the Saudi Tourism Authority, was pictured in Riyadh last Monday, the day after his side had suffered a surprise defeat by Lorient. He later said in an Instagram video that he had to make the trip for contractual reasons, having previously cancelled it, and had assumed he had a day off.

He was suspended for two weeks by PSG and was left out of the 3-1 win at second-bottom Troyes on Sunday but has returned to training after he apologised to PSG and his teammates on Friday in his video. PSG’s next game is on Saturday at home to Ajaccio.

The seven-times Ballon d’Or winner joined PSG from Barcelona in August 2021 after the Catalan club ran into severe financial difficulties. Barcelona want to re-sign him this summer but it is unclear whether they can agree a deal within the framework of La Liga’s financial fair play rules. The Major League Soccer club Inter Miami are also pushing for Messi and the 35-year-old has received a huge offer of more than £350m a year from the Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.