Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) of the French top football league Ligue 1 suspended Argentine super Star Lionel Messi for missing the training session on Monday, according to L'Equipe and ESPN.

ESPN revealed that Messi flew to Saudi Arabia to honor his sponsorship deal as a Saudi ambassador on Monday. He asked PSG for permission before departing. Manager Christophe Galtier and sporting director Luis Campos said he could go if they didn't lose to Lorient at home on Sunday. Meanwhile, Galtier told players that they would have two days off on Monday and Tuesday if they beat Lorient.

However, Lorient defeated PSG 3-1 on Sunday at the Parc des Princes in Paris, with goals from Enzo Le Fee, Darline Yongwa, and Bamba Dieng. PSG's lead in the standings was cut to five points after Olympique de Marseille defeated AJ Auxerre 2-1. PSG has yet to clinch the Ligue 1 title with five games remaining this season.

According to ESPN, Messi still went to Saudi Arabia without PSG's permission. During his suspension, he will not attend any practice or play in any game.

This latest incident has complicated the contract extension negotiations between Messi and PSG. His current deal will come due after the 2022-23 season and the two sides haven't made much progress in reaching a new agreement. L'Equipe reported that PSG will not renew Messi's contract after the suspension was given.

The 2022-23 campaign is Messi's second season in PSG for which he made 37 appearances and scored 20 goals plus 19 assists. His performance is already better than that of the 2021-22 season, but PSG did not achieve any breakthrough in these two seasons, particularly in the UEFA Champions League to which the club attached great importance.