Messi in Saint-Germain. Two years of doubts and disappointment

The suspension of Argentine star Lionel Messi by Paris Saint-Germain represents a failure for the Ballon d'Or holder in the Parisian capital, where he spent two seasons during which he shone at times and suffered disappointments and whistles at other times. The club's decision on Tuesday to suspend the Argentine "several days" for an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia could mark the end of his career with Paris Saint-Germain. Will we simply see Messi again in the French league, as the rupture seems to be at its height today?

During this period of the disciplinary procedure, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner, who missed Monday's training without the consent of the staff, "cannot train, cannot play and is not paid", according to a source familiar with the procedure. A decision that can be described as dramatic as the punishment is firm in relation to its star and extremely rare, knowing that Saint-Germain is often criticised for his lack of authority towards his stars who sometimes appeared above the roof of the institution.

This new controversy adds to the growing discontent of many fans, some of whom (ultras) demonstrated on Monday against Cannes de Loç after the defeat to Lorient (1-3), and will gather again on Wednesday evening in front of the club's headquarters in Boulogne-Billancourt in the capital.
Do the owners of the club (Qatar Sports Investments Company) share the disappointment with the fans? The latter has reason to question in light of the level of "flea" in recent months. After winning the World Cup with Argentina in Doha at the end of last year, the 36-year-old in June showed a completely different face in Paris. With SG's disappointments this season, he seemed to be playing less in the game, walking a lot, and losing individual duels. And a few flashes of his genius did not erase everything.

With Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain was supposed to set a milestone in the Champions League. However, the club is still far away with two consecutive eliminations from the final price, and looks closer to decline than to development. Like other teammates, Messi did little to avoid his club being eliminated from the final of the continental competition recently against Bayern Munich (losing 0-3 on aggregate).

Since returning from the World Cup, Saint-Germain have been eliminated from the Champions League, the French Cup against Marseille, as well as a series of league defeats against Rennes and Lyon and, most recently, Lorient. These poor results coincided with Messi's dip on the pitch: less shots on goal, less concentration and fewer balls, especially in the box, since the World Cup in Qatar.

Before World Cup, Messi had scored 12 goals and 14 assists in 19 games. Today, he has 15 goals and 15 assists in the thirty-third stage.
In Paris, the process of "transplanting" the star did not seem to fully bear fruit, despite some beautiful moments, such as his goal against Manchester City in the autumn of 2021, or the last-second free-kick against Lille (4-3) on February 19 on a night when he did not appear much but was the champion of the victory. A good summary of his sporadic genius in Paris.
Last season was no better, and the result was the same: the Parisian club won the league championship, but was eliminated from the price of the Champions League and French Cup final.

From a more political and marketing point of view, Leo Messi's adventure at Paris Saint-Germain was a huge success for the club's image abroad, especially in Asia. The Argentine star's move allowed the arrival of new sponsors. His brand image ensured profitable operations for the club and enabled SG to take a global turn. The sale of shirts, advertising contracts, media coverage and high ticket prices have all contributed to the club's income. Does the club value financially or athletically? He can choose the ultimate sports image.