Messi and Alba, sanctioned: Hard blow for Inter Miami
Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has expressed his discontent with the sanction imposed by Major League Soccer (MLS) on Lionel Messi following his absence from the All-Star Game. Mas called the measure “draconian”, revealing the frustration of the Argentine star.
Lionel Messi is very upset, like all of us at the club, by the fact that they cannot play tomorrow night.
Both Messi and Jordi Alba, who also did not participate in Wednesday’s event, will miss Saturday’s match against FC Cincinnati, leader of the MLS Eastern Conference. MLS regulations stipulate that any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior league approval cannot play in their club’s next match.
Mas confirmed that it was Inter Miami, and not the players, who decided that they would not participate in the event, prioritizing the health and well-being of both players due to the congestion of the calendar. The club contacted the league on Monday and Tuesday of this week to inform about the absence of Messi and Alba.
Since the beginning of the 2025 season, Inter Miami has participated in the Concacaf Champions League, the MLS regular season, and the FIFA Club World Cup, and is now preparing for the next edition of the Leagues Cup.
He assured that, if he were in a similar situation next year, the decision would be the same.
The MLS commissioner, Don Garber, has stated that the league will “carefully analyze the policy in the future”.
Messi’s contract with Inter Miami expires at the end of the 2025 season and negotiations for a new extension are ongoing.
He further expressed his hope that the sanction will not affect Messi’s long-term perception of the league or his desire to sign a contract extension with Inter Miami.Lionel Messi will miss Inter Miami’s match against FC Cincinnati on Saturday.
