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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Messi set for return as PSG farewell looms

Messi set for return as PSG farewell looms

Published May 12, 2023 04:10 am
PARIS (AFP) -- Lionel Messi is in line to return for Paris Saint-Germain for Saturday's Ligue 1 game at home to Ajaccio after a club-imposed suspension for going on an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia. *A woman walks past metal curtains with an image depicting Argentine football star Lionel Messi, in Buenos Aires, on May 9, 2023. Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will play in Saudi Arabia next season under a blockbuster deal, a source close to the negotiations in the kingdom told AFP on May 9, 2023. There was no confirmation from Messi's current club Paris Saint-Germain, who noted simply that he was under contract until June 30 when contacted by AFP. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi's father and agent Jorge insisted his son has not decided where he will play next season. (AFP)*


The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner sat out last weekend's win at Troyes after missing a training session to fulfil commitments in his role as a Saudi tourism ambassador. The Argentine later apologized to the club and his teammates, and resumed training with PSG on Monday, May 15, but his time at the Parc des Princes is coming to a sad end. After two uninspiring years in France, Messi looks set to play in Saudi Arabia next season as part of a blockbuster deal that would see him follow arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo to the Gulf kingdom. Messi, who turns 36 next month, will sign a "huge" contract with an as-yet-unnamed club, a source close to the negotiations told AFP this week. "Messi is a done deal. He will play in Saudi Arabia next season," said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The contract is exceptional. It's huge. We are just finalizing some small details," added the source, who is not authorized to speak to media. PSG have yet to confirm the departure, while Messi's father and agent Jorge insists the World Cup winner has not decided where he will play next season. But it appears certain his stint at PSG will conclude in June, after the club hopes to celebrate a record 11th French league crown.  "If the club had wanted to renew his contract, it would have been done earlier," said a PSG source. Lens can close the gap at the top to three points if they beat Reims on Friday, but the title remains PSG's to lose with their four remaining fixtures against sides in the bottom half. Upcoming opponents Ajaccio are destined for an immediate return to Ligue 2 having won just once in 13 matches, with three of the four relegation spots all but decided. Auxerre, in 16th, are fighting to avoid suffering the same fate as Ajaccio and take on Brest, the team directly above them in the standings. Strasbourg bid to continue their late-season resurgence against Nice as the visit of relegated Angers provides third-placed Marseille the ideal chance to bounce back from defeat at Lens.
One to watch: Elye Wahi The 20-year-old striker became the first player to score four times for Montpellier in a Ligue 1 game in last weekend's extraordinary 5-4 loss at Lyon. The France Under-21 international has netted 17 goals for the campaign, pulling to within four of Olivier Giroud's club record set during Montpellier's title-winning season in 2011-12. It hasn't been a seamless route to the top for Wahi, who was kicked out of Caen's academy before nearly joining Rennes, but greater things lie ahead for a player increasingly in demand.

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