Paris Saint Germain forward Lionel Messi has been suspended for two weeks after an unauthorized trip for two days to Saudi Arabia, French sports daily L'Equipe reported Tuesday.
The Argentina World Cup winner is banned from playing or training with the team, and his pay will be docked during his suspension, the report added.
Messi will miss the upcoming Ligue 1 matches against Troyes and Ajaccio but might return for the game against Auxerre on May 21.
PSG are top of the standings with 75 points from 33 matches.
Messi, who will turn 36 in June, played in PSG's 3-1 home defeat to Lorient in Ligue 1 Sunday.
He then travelled to Saudi Arabia on business, but as his club had lost the coach cancelled the usual rest day, meaning Messi fell foul of an unexpected requirement to be on duty in Paris.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner left Barcelona in 2021 to join PSG, but he has struggled to reproduce his best form in Paris, scoring 31 goals in 69 appearances.
Some fans see him as a symbol of all the club have done wrong in focusing on superstar signings while failing to build a genuinely competitive team.
The Argentine's name was jeered by some PSG fans as the teams were announced prior to the 1-0 home defeat against Lyon in Ligue 1.
