MLS fines Messi for grabbing rival coach by the neck
Following the opening matchday of the 2025 Major League Soccer season, the league's Disciplinary Committee fined Leo Messi and Luis Suárez for assaulting their opponents after the end of the match against New York City FC (2-2) on Saturday, February 22.
Tensions rose in the final minutes of the match when a visibly frustrated Messi approached the referee to voice his grievances, resulting in a yellow card. Minutes later, the Argentine had an altercation with a member of the coaching staff who grabbed him by the neck.
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On the other hand, Luis Suárez was fined for a similar incident after the end of the first half, when he touched the neck of player Birk Risa, after an argument with him.
MLS fined both players for violating the “hands to the head/face/neck of an opponent” policy, a regulation that seeks to prevent any type of aggressive or dangerous behavior during matches. The exact amount of the fines imposed on the players is still unknown.
During the match, the Argentine assisted twice, including a final assist to Telasco Gegovia, who scored the equalizing goal in the final minutes, leaving the score at 2-2 at Chase Stadium.
Javier Mascherano, coach of Inter Miami, referred to the situation as a normal episode in football: “It is difficult to control emotions. The press sometimes wants to create a circus about it. And that happens in every game, when you can talk to the referee or some players from the opposing team. As we say in Argentina, things that happen on the field stay on the field,” he said, highlighting that similar situations are common in football.
Despite the suspensions, both Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi will be available for Inter Miami's next match against the Houston Dynamo, scheduled for Sunday, March 2.
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