Lionel Messi dealt with whistles from some supporters as the Argentine returned to Paris Saint-Germain’s starting 11 in the 5-0 win over AC Ajaccio on Saturday night at the Parc des Princes.
PSG midfielder Renato Sanches spoke about the situation postgame with reporters. The 25-year-old noted that it was a challenging situation for the veteran forward, despite manager Christophe Galtier praising his star player on handling the incident.
“Yes, I think it’s a bit tricky for everyone and especially for Lionel because no player appreciates this kind of moment,” Sanches told reporters (h/t Paris Fans).
“But it is a situation that we cannot control. It’s a bit difficult for him. But it is not for me to talk about this situation. If he should stay at PSG? Ask him.”
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Messi was initially suspended for two weeks after an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner missed last weekend’s 3-1 win over Troyes but returned the training on Monday after issuing a public apology.
Although the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner did apologize, some supporters likely thought they had to show their displeasure for the conduct of the former Barcelona player.
There are only a few games until the 2022-23 Ligue 1 season concludes and the discussion over the future of Messi begins to heat up even more.