Lionel Messi overlooked by Christophe Galtier for promotion in PSG first team

Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier overlooked Lionel Messi for a promotion in the PSG first team, despite the Barcelona legend settling into life in the French capital.

Messi, who is in his second season with PSG, has not committed to a new contract with the Parisian-based club and is out of contract in the summer.

The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has transfer options open to him after his stunning 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina in Qatar.

Messi has been linked with a potentially lucrative move to Saudi Arabia much like Cristiano Ronaldo, with the PSG forward also attracting interest from the MLS.

Galtier recently confirmed that Messi’s PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe had been promoted to the role of vice-captain ahead of Presnel Kimpembe.

Mbappe wore the captain’s armband in place of Marquinhos, who was left on the bench, for PSG’s 7-0 steamrolling of Pays de Cassel in their French Cup clash.

The 24-year-old French forward scored a staggering five times as PSG ran riot at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis on Monday.

Following PSG’s round-of-32 French Cup win, Galtier said: “I decided that he is the second captain since the beginning of the season, he deserves to have this armband when Marquinhos is not there because he has decided to stay.

“He scored 56 goals in the calendar year. He is one of the world-class strikers, one of the best in the world. He’s like that.

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“He is formatted to score goals, he did not abuse, goals came naturally after combinations.”

Messi, who previously captained Barcelona and is the current skipper for Argentina, is still part of Galtier’s Champions League plans and could still commit to a new deal.

Kimpembe has since broken his silence on social media and shared his two cents on Mbappe replacing him in the pecking order for captains at PSG.

According to reports in Spain, PSG offered Messi a contract extension that would keep him in the French capital until June 2024.

Marca reports that Barcelona would love to see the 35-year-old Argentine return to the Camp Nou, but a deal is unlikely to happen due to the club’s financial problems.