WHAT HAPPENED? According to a report from the French newspaper L’Equipe, Messi and Vitinha had a heated altercation during a training session in early 2023. The Argentine allegedly told the midfielder: “Not only are you bad, but you’re also hurting me.”
The criticism was apparently not taken lightly by Vitinha and was ready to leave Parc des Princes until he was convinced otherwise by his compatriot Danilo Pereira.
However, the player has spoken out and has termed the reports as “completely false”.
WHAT THEY SAID: “I don’t usually comment on anything in the press, but this time I have to say it. It is completely false that this happened,” he wrote on X.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: From being a fringe figure under Christophe Galtier, Vitinha has established himself as one of the key members of the PSG dressing room with his consistent performances. He was one of the influential figures on the pitch against Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, as the Parisians registered a comfortable 2-0 victory.
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WHAT NEXT? Vitinha will hope to carry on with his rich vein of form when PSG face Marseille this weekend in a Ligue 1 encounter. Meanwhile, Messi will return to action with Inter Miami after the international break when the Herons face Toronto tonight.