26 February 2025 , 14:26
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The opening round of Major League Soccer fixtures witnessed Lionel Messi making a significant impact on the pitch. However, his actions after the final whistle have been subject to scrutiny.
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has been handed a fine for grabbing the neck of New York City FC coach Mehdi Ballouchy - but will not serve a ban for the offence.
Messi twice put his hands to the back of Ballouchy’s neck after the final whistle blew in his team’s MLS season opener. The match had ended all-square, with the Argentina star setting up Telasco Segovia’s stoppage-time equaliser.
Fellow Inter Miami star Luis Suarez has also been slapped with a fine. Suarez put his hands to the neck of NYCFC defender Birk Risa at half-time in the match, drawing an angry reaction from the Norwegian.
The match was the first MLS game under the management of Javier Mascherano. The former Argentina international, who also played with Messi and Suarez at Barcelona, avoided defeat in the opener despite his team playing more than an hour with 10 men.
"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," a statement from the league read. A similar statement was issued in relation to Suarez’s offence.
Mascherano’s team took an early lead through Toto Aviles, the centre-back sliding the ball home after Messi rolled it across the face of goal. Aviles’ race was run just 23 minutes in, though, as he was shown a straight red card for a last-man foul on Alonso Martinez,
NYCFC were level instantly, with Mitja Ilenic finishing off a smart free-kick move, and Martinez put them in front early in the second half after a Jordi Alba mistake. Deep into stoppage-time, though, Messi burst forward and slipped through Segovia, who coolly dinked the ball over goalkeeper Matt Freese.
"We have to keep overcoming the obstacles we encounter along the way, but I’m one of those who focus on the positives," Mascherano said after the draw. "And today, beyond the result, I take away positive things, the fact that the team has soul, the team has life, and we are going to fight."
Inter Miami returned to action on Tuesday night, taking on Sporting Kansas City in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. After winning 1-0 in the first leg, they claimed a 3-1 victory at Chase Stadium with Messi and Suarez both among the goals.
The aggregate victory sets up a meeting with Jamaican side Cavalier in the round of 16, with the first leg scheduled for March 6. Before then, Messi and his team-mates face their first away game of the MLS season with Houston Dynamo the opposition.