Messi Suspended After Skipping Mls All-star Game

Lionel Messi and his Inter Miami team-mate Jordi Alba person been fixed one-match bans for skipping Major League Soccer's All-Star crippled earlier this week.

Both players missed Wednesday's lucifer successful Austin, Texas wherever nan MLS squad posted a 3-1 triumph against Mexico's Liga MX All-Stars.

"Per convention rules, immoderate subordinate who does not participate successful nan All-Star Game without anterior support from nan convention is ineligible to compete successful their club's adjacent match," MLS said successful a connection connected Friday.

As a result, nan duo will now miss Miami's location convention fixture against FC Cincinnati connected Saturday.

MLS commissioner Don Garber said suspending Messi was a "very difficult decision".

"I cognize Lionel Messi loves this league," he added.

"I don't deliberation there's a subordinate - aliases anyone - who has done much for MLS than Messi. I afloat understand, respect, and respect his committedness to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision.

"Unfortunately, we person a long-standing argumentation regarding information successful nan All-Star Game and we had to enforce it."

Argentina fable Messi, 38, has scored 18 goals successful arsenic galore appearances for Javier Mascherano's broadside successful nan MLS this season, while Alba, 36, has featured 19 times successful nan league.

The duo, who besides played together astatine Barcelona from 2012 to 2021, were besides portion of nan Miami side's tally to nan quarter-finals of nan Fifa Club World Cup.

Since their exit from nan tournament astatine nan hands of eventual finalists Paris St-Germain, Miami person played 5 matches this period pinch Messi scoring 8 times.

Speaking to ESPN earlier successful nan day, Miami caput coach Mascherano said guardant "showed normal fatigue from nan number of games and minutes he's been playing."

"Look, players ever person discomfort, particularly erstwhile they play each 3 days."