NEW YORK — Inter Miami’s captain Lionel Messi has been penalized by Major League Soccer with an unspecified fine for his actions involving a New York City FC assistant coach, during a recent match that ended 2-2.
The confrontation transpired after the final whistle when Messi was making his way off the field, following a yellow card warning due to a verbal exchange with referee Alexis Da Silva. Messi engaged in a heated discussion with Mehdi Ballouchy, the New York assistant coach, while covering his mouth. Inter Miami’s coaching staff attempted to diffuse the situation. Yet, Messi turned back, approached Ballouchy, and placed his hand on the back of the coach’s neck, applying sufficient pressure to elicit a stunned reaction.
In a separate incident during the same match, Inter Miami forward Luis Suárez also received an undisclosed fine for breaching the league’s policy regarding contact with an opponent’s face, head, or neck. This occurred when Suárez clasped New York defender Birk Risa by the neck amidst a tumultuous situation post-halftime.
Furthermore, Chicago Fire’s midfielder Brian Gutiérrez has been suspended for one match and fined an undisclosed amount after delivering a high elbow to the head of Columbus’ Yevhen Cheberko. This occurred during a 4-2 loss on their season opener, which will see Gutiérrez sit out the home game against D.C. United on March 1.
In addition, Portland Timbers’ defender Kamal Miller faced a fine for not promptly exiting the field after being shown a red card in the 11th minute against the Vancouver Whitecaps. The league’s enforcement of timely exits following expulsions underscores their focus on maintaining order and discipline on the field.
