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Lionel Messi was recently spotted at the airport, ready to return to France and rejoin his Paris Saint-Germain teammates. The Argentine, who has been on vacation for the past couple of weeks, is now set to resume training.
The 35-year-old won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in December and has since been celebrating the victory in his home country. PSG granted Messi permission to return late, and as a result, he missed two Ligue1 matches.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner is now expected to land in France on Tuesday morning and rejoin PSG training later in the day. The French side will be involved in Coupe de France action next, as they travel to face LB Châteauroux on Friday.
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Speaking to the media after PSG's 3-1 loss to Lens, manager Christophe Galtier confirmed that he was expecting Messi to rejoin training on Tuesday, January 3.
"We will be very happy to welcome him," Galtier said. "Leo will surely join us on January 3, so in 48 hours. Obviously he will be well received at home. On the reception at the stadium, I have no doubts about the fact that he will be well received at the Parc des Princes. He won the most beautiful trophy by being very good in this World Cup. Above all, now that he has achieved this incredible goal, we must remember what he has done since the start of the season with the team."
Will Lionel Messi continue at PSG?
Lionel Messi is into the final six months of his PSG contract, and is free to negotiate with other clubs. But the French side can extend the current deal by another season and are reportedly confident of agreeing on a new contract with the Argentine.
The FIFA World Cup winner is said to be open to staying at the club beyond the summer, after making a good start to the season. He has scored seven times in the league, one more than he managed last season.
Barcelona are reportedly waiting on the wings to swoop in for Messi, as most at the club believe he should get a proper farewell. Club president Joan Laporta and manager Xavi have been vocal about his possible return, though the Catalan side's financial crisis is far from done.
