PSG are so predictable! Ending Lionel Messi's suspension early shows superstar players still rule in Paris

All it took was one apology video. A blank Lionel Messi stared into a camera, stood in front of a colourless wall wearing a crisp suit. In the 38-second clip, he apologised to his team-mates but also defended the trip to Saudi Arabia that had triggered his two-week suspension.

And for Paris Saint-Germain, that was seemingly enough. On Monday, he worked alone at the club's facilities. On Tuesday, he figures to be in team training. Less than a week after intentionally ignoring a club mandate, Messi is back.

His early return is yet another headline-grabbing moment in a chaotic season for the Parisians. It stands as an entirely predictable yet simultaneously disappointing move that shows, once again, just how badly the club has lost control of its players, and brand as a whole.

This suspension was supposed to show that PSG can put their foot down. Instead, it has only amplified how powerless they are.