“He got what he wanted” - Lionel Messi told he lacks ‘professional conscience’ as ex-PSG star labels his Ligue 1 stint as ‘total fiasco’

Former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) winger Jerome Rothen recently slammed Lionel Messi for the way he has handled himself during his time at the Parisian club.

Messi was recently handed a two-week suspension by the French club for his 'unauthorized' Saudi Arabia trip. Rothen, though, is unhappy with the entirety of Messi's time in the French capital. Speaking to RMC Sport, the former French footballer said (via GOAL):

"Lionel Messi, I don't question his fantastic career or his talent, but his coming to PSG is a total fiasco. And to see that he doesn't even have the professional conscience to say to himself 'in terms of images, it may be inappropriate for me to go there because I was more than useless against Lorient and we were considered to be losers throughout the match…'"

He added:

"When the team is in agony, he is even more in agony. It's not possible when we're talking about the best player in the world."

Speaking about Messi's tenure at the Parisian club, Rothen said:

"Frankly, it's once again chilling to hear these things. It bothers me all the more because you know what I think of Leo Messi's years at PSG, of his coming, why he came, why he wants to extend. It's just a financial question anyway."

He added:

"It was the only club capable of giving him what he wanted. The only. I say the only one. He would like to come back to Barcelona but he can't, so he's blocked and he's going out of his way to try to extend, to try to scratch the Qataris even more."

Rothen claimed that Messi used PSG for the 2022 FIFA World Cup preparation and is now looking to leave the club. He said:

"Since he's already scratched them well for good preparation for the World Cup and he got what he wanted. But now, ciao! Bye bye! That's enough."

He added:

"And I'm going to tell you, this business there, which comes a few days before a crucial match for PSG in Troyes because they could lose the title and a lot of things. They have already lost their Parisian but also French supporters and football enthusiasts, that's the truth."

Lionel Messi joined the Parisian club in the summer of 2021 after Barcelona were unable to renew his contract due to La Liga's wage cap rules. He has since scored 31 goals and has provided 34 assists in 71 games for the Ligue 1 giants.

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Fabrizio Romano made a stunning claim about Lionel Messi's PSG future

Lionel Messi will leave the Parisian club at the end of the season, claimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. Messi's father, Jorge Messi, reportedly communicated the player's decision to club director Luis Campos a month ago.

Messi is currently in the final months of his contract and is yet to extend his stay. Many wondered whether his recent suspension will affect the player's decision regarding his future.

However, Romano claimed that Messi's decision to leave the club was made a month ago. The attacker has been heavily linked with a return to Barcelona. The Blaugrana, though, need to free up their wage bill to accommodate the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.