Barcelona legend Rivaldo has slammed Lionel Messi over his trip to Saudi Arabia.
PSG have suspended Messi for two weeks after he took an unauthorised trip to Riyadh. Messi is a tourism ambassador of Saudi Arabia.
Commenting on Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Al Nassr, Rivaldo said: "I understand that sometimes the players are fooled by the big contract they sign in Saudi Arabia, but then life there is more closed and football is not always as easy as expected. So, you may be going through a phase of some disappointment and even reflection. if the money he is receiving makes up for the not so happy life he is living at the moment.
“This happens to all players and Messi himself will soon be able to witness it. It would be good for him and for football to see Cristiano Ronaldo return to Real Madrid to finish his career. Of course, the fans have to understand that they cannot demand the same from him as he did when he was 25 or 26 years old, but he can still help the club in more achievements.
“It made me a little sad to see Lionel Messi take this kind of attitude, disrespectful towards his current club, something that is unusual in his career, which has always been marked by a clean sheet in terms of discipline. He certainly could have done it differently. He had alternatives - to talk to the club, wait for the Saudi leaders to come to Paris or even wait for the end of the season - to reach an understanding with PSG without causing this internal problem."
Kingblue545
582
Rivaldo talks too much, what made you play Angolan league?
Bling22
253
The french man is egoistic, manipulator and a thief
ifémî
145
sometimes when life puts you in a certain tight corner, I swear, you'll have no option but to act stupidly.
zeaabimsz
58
The No 1 problem is whatever happened to Messi is compared or linked to Cristiano. Let's be honest, Cristiano goes against his coach, fight his team mates, shun the fans and the media at the end publicly attacked the owners. Manchester do not want to part ways with Cristiano, he is the one want the them to release him. On the other hand, PSG fans have been booing Messi and insulting him but he never goes against them. PSG owners want to hold him for at least next season, but unfortunately, they have already given power to Mbappe to do and undo at the club which he wants both Messi and Neymar out, a clause that PSG blindly agree with him to sign his new contract. No big team will accept this. The fans criticise Messi's performance last season as Barca's saga has unsettled him, but this season they support Messi before WC, but after Messi's win against France they turned against him. So, Messi's story in PSG has been a struggle to establish an identity of the football team which has not been successful. Messi's success in Argentina team is a evidence of his true leadership qualities, unequal skills and ever convincing performance. You need to build around him or define his role in the team not necessarily to make him a leader. He spent more 10 years not a leader in Barca's Pep, Tito, Tata, Enrique and Valverde. In short, PSG is not the right team for Messi.