The future of the 35-year-old star striker, who has a role as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia, remains in doubt amid reports linking him to Saudi side Al Hilal and Inter Miami in the MLS.
ADVERTISEMENTArgentine football star Lionel Messi has apologised to Paris Saint-Germain and his teammates for leaving for Saudi Arabia earlier this week without the club's permission.
In a video posted on Instagram, Messi claimed he had mistakenly thought he had a day off, and that he could not cancel his trip to the Middle Eastern country.
"First of all, I want to apologise to my teammates and the club," he said. “Honestly, I thought we were going to have a day off after the game like we did in previous weeks.”
“I had this trip [to Saudi Arabia] organised which I had cancelled [once] already; I could not cancel it again [...] I repeat: I want to say sorry for what I did. I’m waiting to hear what the club want to do with me.”
The 35-year-old World Cup winner was suspended by the French side for two weeks - banning him from playing or training, and will reportedly have his pay docked.
Messi has been linked in recent weeks to moves to Saudi side Al Hilal and Inter Miami in the MLS, as well as a return to Camp Nou with Barcelona amid reports he will leave PSG at the end of the current season when his contract with the French Ligue-1 champions comes to an end.