Sport

Messi Suspended for Travelling without Permission

By Web News 1407

Lionel Messi has been given a two-week suspension by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for embarking on a personal promotional trip to Saudi Arabia without permission.

The Argentina captain and six-time Ballon D’or winner’s two-year deal with the club is to expire this summer.

It is reported that Messi sought PSG’s permission twice in order to travel but was refused.

Messi has been suspended for two games; he would not play or train during the suspension.

He has also been fined two weeks’ wages.

The 35-year-old who is a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia was pictured in Riyadh on Monday and advertised his presence in the country on social media. 

The suspension by implication means Messi will miss the upcoming Ligue 1 matches against Troyes and Ajaccio, but might return for the match against Auxerre on May 21.

FRCN Abuja / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Sport

Argentina are FIFA World Cup Champions

By Web News 691

Lionel Messi’s 108th-minute strike was not enough to give Argentina the deserved win after Kylian Mbappe scored in the 118th minute in the Qatar 2022 World Cup final on Sunday.

A 23rd-minute penalty from Argentina captain Lionel Messi and a 36th-minute strike from Angel Di Maria left the South Americans in a commanding position at the break.

French roared back from two goals down to bring the score to 2-2.

France hit back in the second half as Kylian Mbappe converted an 80th-minute penalty and equalised with an acrobatic volley a minute later.

Argentina won the Cup for the first time since a Diego Maradona-inspired victory at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

Punch/Olaolu Fawole

Sport

World Cup: Saudi Arabia Humbles Argentina 2-1

By Web News 1484

Saudi Arabia made history on Tuesday, by beating football giants, Argentina 2-1at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Argentina opened scoring in the 10 minutes of the first half of the match through a penalty by Lionel Messi.

Saudi Arabia was determined to score an equalizer against Argentina, making spectacular performances during the match.

Saudi Arabia’s Saleh Alshehri scored an equalizer goal in the 48th minute, while Alshehri’s teammate Salem Aldawsari added to Saudi Arabia’s leading position with a second goal in the 53rd minute.

The Latin American country was unbeaten against Saudi Arabia over its previous four matches.

The competition opened on Sunday, with a match between Ecuador and the host country, Qatar.

Other fixtures for Tuesday, also include matches between Mexico and Poland, while France and Australia slug it out tonight.

Olaolu Fawole

Sport

Messi To Leave Barcelona As Contract Talks Break Down

By Web News 557

The Argentina star will leave the Catalan club after 21 years after negotiations over a new deal fell apart on Thursday.

Lionel Messi will not sign a new contract at Barcelona, the club has confirmed in a statement that confirmed the Argentine is now set to leave the Catalan side.

The Argentine star’s latest deal expired this summer but he was expected to commit to a new contract ahead of the new season.

Messi held talks with the club on Thursday and although both parties hoped to reach an agreement that would see Messi remain at Camp Nou, report says there were discrepancies that put the deal at risk of collapsing.

A statement on the club’s website read: “Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations).
“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled”.

“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”

Goal

Sport

Breaking: Messi hands Barcelona Transfer Request

By Web News 1146

Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has submitted a request to leave the club.

The 33-year-old has spent his entire career with the Spanish giants with whom he won six Ballon d’Or.

Rumours of Messi’s unhappiness have been swirling since Bayern Munich humiliated Barcelona 8-2 in the Champions League quarter-final on August 14, ending a season that saw the club fail to win any trophies.

Following that match, Barcelona sacked head coach Quique Setien as well as technical manager Eric Abidal.

Barcelona subsequently hired Ronald Koeman to replace Setien, with the Dutchman expressing his desire to keep the Argentine star at Camp Nou.

After sitting down with Messi, however, it appears that Koeman was unable to convince his side’s talisman to become a part of his project.

Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has previously insisted that Messi will end his career at Camp Nou as Bartomeu’s own future continues to be questioned.

Messi has a clause in his contract, which allows him to leave for free.