Lionel Messi recently issued a heartfelt apology to PSG for his unapproved trip to Saudi Arabia. Messi, who failed to attend a training session due to his trip, was suspended by PSG for two weeks. However, some fans feel that Messi’s suspension is about much more than meets the eye. Meanwhile, former PSG star Jerome Rothen has bashed Lionel Messi despite his apology.
🗣️❗️@gastonedul: “Messi knows that the reason of his sanction is not for sporting decision, it is because he rejected their contract extension offer.” 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/LpSAWuERzC
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) May 5, 2023
Argentine journalist Gaston Edul reported that the reason behind PSG’s decision is not just Messi’s failure to take the club’s approval for his trip. Gaston believes that the actual reason behind PSG’s harsh decision is that Messi has twice rejected a contract extension at PSG. However, according to RMC Sport, Jerome Rothen is in complete agreement with PSG’s decision.
Rothen said, “He (Messi) made a mistake, he recognizes it. So already that means that PSG was right to sanction him because it is a professional fault. I’m not a manager of the club but my opinion is simple.” Jerome also raised questions over Messi’s role at the club for the last two years. He said, “I throw the ball back to Leo Messi: he’s been there for two years, is his investment on the pitch sufficient and excusable? The answer is no.“
Rothen also blamed Messi for not having a close relationship with the PSG fans. He added, “Has he apologized many times about his behavior on the pitch? Not speaking French or not doing an interview with French media? Not to greet the supporters”? For Rothen, Messi’s apology was only an “excuse.” The former PSG star believes that Messi’s apology is the proverbial nail in the coffin of the Argentine star’s career at PSG.
Former Argentina teammate comes to the aid of Lionel Messi
Furthermore, Jerome Rothen also has also made the outrageous claim that Lionel Messi joined PSG for the sake of money. Rothen, who has been critical of Messi’s performances for PSG in the past, criticized Messi’s intentions of joining PSG. Rothen also stated that the reason behind Messi’s blockbuster move to the French club was because of “financial conditions.”
“He didn’t come for the right reasons, he only came for the financial conditions. In Barcelona, we know very well why he left. They could no longer pay him the way they paid him.”
— Bridge Radio (@bridgeradio987) April 28, 2023
Rothen said, “I have no words. It’s completely out of place. That’s how much he doesn’t give a damn about the world since he arrived. He didn’t come for the right reasons, he only came for the financial conditions. In Barcelona, we know very well why he left. They could no longer pay him the way they paid him. There was such a huge deficit that they had to part with it.”
However, Lionel Messi’s former Barcelona and Argentina teammate Javier Mascherano has rushed to support the 2022 World Cup hero. Mascherano blasted PSG and said that the French club will “regret” how they mistreated Messi. Mascherano said, “It’s a shame not to realize the type of player they were lucky enough to have in their team.“
He further added, “I think that ten years ago, no Parisian supporter would have imagined having in their team the best player in history. And instead of liking him, they spent these two years criticizing him.” Currently, Messi is all set to leave PSG and return to FC Barcelona if La Liga gives Barca the green light. Although there are offers for Messi from Saudi Arabia, the former Barcelona captain has made his intentions clear.