Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi fined for neck grab as referee receives six-month ban for autograph request

Inter Miami‘s Lionel Messi has skilled a dramatic originate to the 2025 season after he was fined for a neck grab and a referee was banned following a request for the Argentine’s signature.

Messi has been punished for an incident with Unusual York Metropolis FC’s assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy following Saturday’s clash at Chase Stadium.

Inter Miami performed the majority of their MLS opener with 10 men after Tomas Aviles was brushed aside within the Twenty third minute, no longer prolonged after he had opened the scoring.

NYCFC scored two targets to turn the game in their favour, before Messi supplied an assist for Telasco Segovia to rating an equaliser within the Tenth minute of stoppage time.

Messi was arresting on an switch of words with the referee Alexis Da Silva after the game, and as he began to originate his manner off the pitch, he was seen on digicam in a war of words with Ballouchy, putting his right hand on the assist of the coach’s neck.

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MLS verify Messi entertaining

MLS released a assertion on Tuesday to train that a disciplinary committee has punished Messi with an ‘undisclosed’ entertaining for the incident.

The assertion read: “The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi an undisclosed amount for violating the hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent policy following the conclusion of Inter Miami’s match against New York City FC on February 22.”

The identical committee moreover confirmed that Messi’s Inter Miami teammate, Luis Suarez, has moreover been fined for an altercation at half of time of the MLS clash.

In a same incident to Messi’s, Suarez grabbed the neck of Chicago Fire defender Birk Risa following the half of-time whistle.

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Referee receives ban for Messi autograph request

Messi was arresting on one other incident within the first leg of Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup clash in opposition to Wearing Kansas Metropolis on February 19.

Referee Ortiz Nava asked Messi on the closing whistle of the 1-0 ranking if he would possibly most certainly have an autograph for a family member with special needs.

In a subsequent assertion, CONCACAF acknowledged that the referee’s behaviour “does not align with the Confederation’s Code of Conduct for match officials.”

The assertion added that Nava “has acknowledged his mistake, apologised for the incident, and accepted the disciplinary action CONCACAF has applied.”

Based on ESPN, Nava has been suspended for six months by CONCACAF, though he is aloof accredited to officiate his home league, Liga MX.

Inter Miami as a consequence of this truth prevailed within the 2d leg of their Champions Cup tie, with Messi and Suarez getting on the scoresheet in a 3-1 home victory on Tuesday evening.

As a consequence of the 4-1 combination ranking, Javier Mascherano‘s facet have region up a last-16 tie with Jamaican facet Cavalier.

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