Major League Soccer (MLS) has fined Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, both players of Inter Miami, for unsportsmanlike conduct after they assaulted opponents during the match against New York City FC, which took place on Saturday, February 22, at Chase Stadium.
Messi grabbed a member of the coaching staff of the New York team by the neck after the final whistle, while Suárez did the same with defender Birk Risa during halftime.
The league determined that both footballers violated the policy prohibiting "hands to the face, head, or neck" of an opponent.
Although the exact amount of the fines has not been disclosed, the decision of the Disciplinary Committee reflects the MLS's intention to maintain sportsmanship on the field.
The incidents involving Messi and Suárez
Tension in the match increased in the final minutes when Messi, frustrated by the outcome of the game, approached the referee to protest, which earned him a yellow card.
Shortly after, the Argentine had an altercation with a member of the New York City FC coaching staff, whom he grabbed by the neck during a heated argument.
For his part, Luis Suárez was involved in a similar incident before the start of the second half. During the break, the Uruguayan forward grabbed defender Birk Risa by the neck amid a discussion.
This behavior was also sanctioned by MLS under the same disciplinary regulations.
Statements by Javier Mascherano
The coach of Inter Miami, Javier Mascherano, downplayed the altercations and defended his players, noting that such situations are common in football.
"It is difficult to control emotions. The press sometimes wants to create a circus around this. This happens in every match, when talking to the referee or with players from the opposing team," commented the Argentine coach.
"As we say in Argentina, what happens on the field stays on the field," he added.
An intense match marked by controversy
The match between Inter Miami and New York City FC was a contested and tense encounter that ended in a 2-2 draw.
The Florida team got off to a good start when Argentine Tomás Avilés opened the scoring in the 5th minute. However, Avilés's red card in the 23rd minute changed the course of the match for the Miami team.
Mitja Ilenic and the Costa Rican Alonso Martínez scored for the New York team, turning the scoreboard around.
However, in the last moments of the match, in the 100th minute, Venezuelan Telasco Segovia scored the equalizer with an assist from Messi, allowing Inter Miami to salvage a point at home.
Despite the outcome, the match was marked by the incidents involving Messi and Suárez.
Despite the sanction imposed by MLS, neither Messi nor Suárez will face suspension, so they will be available for Inter Miami's next match.
The team will face the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, March 2, where they will seek their first victory of the 2025 season.
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