PSG SUSPENDS Lionel Messi After Taking An 'Unauthorised Trip To Visit Saudi Arabia.

Paris Saint-Germain have suspended Lionel Messi for two weeks with immediate effect.

The Argentina captain had reportedly travelled to Saudi Arabia without the club's permission this week following their devastating 3-1 loss to Lorient last weekend which Messi played the full 90 minutes.

Messi will not also train or play for PSG during the period of his suspension. He is set to miss matches against Troyes and Ajaccio as PSG, five points clear with five games to go, look to clinch a ninth league title in 11 seasons.

It is understood the 35-year-old asked permission to make the journey to carry out commercial work but was refused by the club.

Messi, who has also been fined by the club, has a role as a tourism ambassador for Saudi Arabia.

He had shared an image of the “unexpected wonders” of the Kingdom with his more than 450m Instagram followers on Sunday, before jetting in to see the country for himself.

A post on the World Cup winner’s official Instagram account said: “Who thought Saudi has so much green? I love to explore its unexpected wonders whenever I can.”

It is clear that PSG do not view their actions as being anything extraordinary, as they are just effectively punishing an employee who has gone somewhere else on a work day miles away from where he is supposed to be. It is also confirmation of their zero-tolerance approach to discipline.

PSG's fans don't feel like they want Messi any more, and it is certain his contract will not be renewed.

The World Cup winner's two-year contract with PSG expires this summer, and may have even played his last match for PSG, depending on how his future settles over the coming days.

Barcelona vice-president Rafael Yuste claimed in March that the Spanish club were in contact with Messi about a return to the Nou Camp.

Messi has scored 31 goals and contributed 34 assists in 71 games in all competitions for PSG, and won the Ligue 1 title last season.

He has been a star performer for PSG this season, scoring 15 goals and registering 15 assists in 28 Ligue 1 games. Without him, Christophe Galtier's side will need to continue picking up results if they are to hold off second-placed Marseille, who sit five points behind them with five games to play.

The six-time Ballon D’Or winner’s father and business agent, Jorge Horacio, was seen in Riyadh earlier this year, leading to speculation about negotiations for a potential move to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal who has made a “monster offer,” according to media reports.