Inter Miami Handed Devastating Suspension Blow Ahead Of Crunch Cincinnati Clash
Written by Patrick Echatah
Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba will miss their next club match. Both players were suspended after not participating in Wednesday’s MLS All-Star Game against Mexico’s Liga MX.
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Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano stated on Friday that Messi’s absence was due to fatigue, while Alba reportedly suffered an injury in their last MLS game.
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However, because neither player received official approval from the league to miss the All-Star game, both were subject to disciplinary action.
“Inter Miami CF defender Jordi Alba and forward Lionel Messi will be unavailable for the club’s Matchday 27 game against FC Cincinnati on Saturday evening, due to their absence at the 2025 MLS All-Star Game,” read an MLS statement.
“Per league rules, any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club’s next match.”
Major League Soccer (MLS) Commissioner Don Garber stated that even though Lionel Messi is the league’s biggest star, rules must be applied to everyone equally. However, Garber also indicated that he would consider changing those rules in the future.
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“I know Lionel Messi loves this league. I don’t think there’s a player – or anyone – who has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi,” he said.
“I fully understand, respect, and admire his commitment to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision.
“Unfortunately, we have a long-standing policy regarding participation in the All-Star Game, and we had to enforce it. It was a very difficult decision.
“That said, we’re going to take a hard look at the policy moving forward. I’m committed to working with our players to determine how the rule should evolve.”
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