Lionel Messi has stirred up anger among Paris Saint-Germain fans, especially after appearing in good spirits during Argentina's training, while missing his club's last two matches due to injury. Cameras captured Messi smiling and moving well during Argentina's training this week, despite having missed the last two matches for PSG in Ligue 1 due to knee and tendon pain.
The 34-year-old player, who won his first major international title at the Copa America in 2021, has failed to score or provide an assist in five Ligue 1 matches since leaving Barcelona. Although he has scored three goals in the UEFA Champions League, Messi missed his team’s matches against Bordeaux and the European match against Leipzig earlier this month due to injury.
Despite missing PSG matches, Messi joined coach Lionel Scaloni's squad for Argentina's World Cup qualifying matches against Uruguay and Brazil on the following Friday and Tuesday. Photos of the "little flea" in training, looking fit and smiling, have angered PSG fans, who expressed their frustrations on social media.
One PSG fan tweeted, "Playing for the French club is like a holiday for Messi." Another remarked, "Messi has lost interest in playing club football since winning the Copa America." Another pointed out that "Messi is pretending to be injured to get enough rest to play for Argentina," as reported by the British newspaper "Daily Star."
The French newspaper "Le Parisien" quoted PSG's sporting director stating, "We do not agree with allowing a player who is recovering from injury and playing for us to join his national team. It doesn't make sense and should be discussed with FIFA."
