Lionel Messi has issued a public apology to his Paris Saint-Germain teammates for his unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.
The forward has been suspended for leaving without permission and has had his wages docked as well.
Messi has released a statement apologising for his actions
The Argentine superstar is banned for two weeks and has been docked his wages
Messi traveled to Saudi Arabia on a promotional trip on Sunday evening, just hours after the club’s 3-1 defeat to Lorient in Ligue 1.
It is understood Messi, who is a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia, requested permission to make the trip but was denied.
The 35-year-old was expected at training on Monday morning but failed to attend, with images of him being published in Riyadh instead.
His absence from training did not go down well with the club or the supporters, with PSG’s Ultras protesting furiously outside the club’s headquarters about the Argentine superstar’s trip away.
But speaking on social media, Messi explained the reason behind his trip away.
He said: “Hello, well, I wanted to make this video after everything that is happening.
“First of all, I apologise to my teammates, to the club. Honestly, I thought we were going to have a day off after the game, as had been happening in previous weeks.
“I had this trip to Arabia organised and I couldn’t cancel it. I had already cancelled it before.
“I repeat again and apologise for what I did. Here I am, waiting for what the club decides.”