Lionel Messi has been fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Soccer (MLS) after an incident in which he grabbed the neck of an opposition coach. The incident occurred at the end of the game between Inter Miami and New York City FC on Saturday, when Messi placed his hand on the back of NYCFC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy’s neck while walking off the field. Prior to this, Messi, who is the reigning league MVP, had received a yellow card following a heated exchange with the referee.
The MLS Disciplinary Committee issued a statement on Tuesday, confirming that Messi was fined for violating the league’s policy on “hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent” after the game against New York City FC on February 22. Messi’s teammate, Luis Suárez, was also fined an undisclosed amount for a similar incident in the match, where he grabbed NYCFC defender Birk Risa’s neck at the end of the first half.
Inter Miami has been contacted for further comment regarding the fines. The match, which was the first of the MLS season for both teams, ended in a 2-2 draw after Telasco Segovia scored a last-minute equalizer for Miami.
Inter Miami was reduced to 10 players midway through the first half of their match when Tomás Avilés was penalized for a foul on Alonso Martínez in front of the goal, even though it appeared he had won the ball. After goals from Mitja Ilenič and Martínez gave New York City FC a 2-1 lead, Miami fought back to secure a 2-2 draw. Messi, who provided two assists during the match, played a key role by setting up Telasco Segovia for a goal, allowing Segovia to chip the ball into the net.
In a separate match on Tuesday, Miami also competed in the Concacaf Champions Cup, defeating Sporting Kansas City 3-1. With goals from Messi, Luis Suárez, and Tadeo Allende, they advanced to the round of 16.
