PSG's decision to suspend Lionel Messi was a statement about club discipline and tolerance. Regardless of the international reaction, they wanted to make a point. Nobody was above the club. And, fundamentally, it was the right decision.
captain to be their centrepiece, to focus on young French talent with the former Monaco star at the heart of the project. But this past season already bears his hallmark — in part, anyway. The appointment of sporting director Luis Campos and, by association, Galtier
His recent public outburst on social media about a marketing video, which he disliked, only emphasised his own influence at the club.Naturally, this week’s developments beg the question of whether Mbappe would have been treated the same way as Messi. The Argentinian is not as loved as Mbappe and he was, of course, promoting Saudi Arabia while his club — funded byRegardless, though, the answer has to be yes, certainly if this week’s drama is to mean anything substantive for PSG.
The decision to suspend Messi does change the landscape. It sets a precedent. And it also means that the Messi project is over. The summer of 2021, when PSG pulled off the unthinkable and hailed the signing of the game’s greatest player, arguably of all time, seems a long, long time ago now.
A future without Messi at PSG may not be the worst thing for the club. Yes, they will be losing a sensational player, but PSG have compromised to accommodate him., sometimes at the detriment of others, such as the midfielders Vitinha and Carlos Soler. Longer term, having one fewer star player will offer the chance for more balance, and could avoid scenarios where two players do no defensive work despite their team going to 10 men — as was witnessed against Lorient.
The flip side is that Messi’s form has brought the team close to the title — he is not the problem when it comes to their on-field failures at home and in Europe. If anything, he has been a key part of why PSG still maintain a five-point gap at the top of Ligue 1. He has been decisive throughout this season, a frequent match-winner, and he has 15 goals and 15 assists to his name. If you take Messi out of the team, that influence is not easy to replace.
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