Lionel Messi and teammate Luis Suárez fined by MLS during NYCFC match
NEW YORK (Feb 25, 2025) — Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi and teammate Luis Suárez have been fined by MLS due to incidents that occurred during and after Miami’s 2-2 draw against New York City FC on Saturday.
Lionel Messi and teammate Luis Suárez have been fined by MLS due to incidents that occurred during and after Miami’s 2-2 draw against New York City FC on Saturday.
Messi received a yellow card after the full-time whistle following a verbal exchange with center referee Alexis Da Silva. Upon exiting the pitch, Messi stopped and had a brief conversation with NYCFC assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy. Messi covered his mouth as he continued to speak to Ballouchy, as two Miami assistants intervened.
Messi began to walk away but turned back towards Ballouchy and placed his right hand on the back of Ballouchy’s neck, squeezing to a point that appeared to startle the opposing coach. Messi was fined for violating the hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent policy, according to an MLS press release. The 2025 MLS Competition Guidelines state that a minimum fine will be enforced for hands to the face, head, neck of an opponent. The explanation reads as follows:
“Individuals witnessed to have contacted the face, head, and/or neck of an opponent, which incites or escalates an individual incident (as determined by the Disciplinary Committee) and/or an incident that results in mass confrontation (as determined by the Disciplinary Committee), will receive a minimum of a fine,” according to the guidelines.
Suárez was also fined an undisclosed amount for the same violation, though his came earlier in the night. Suárez grabbed NYCFC defender Birk Risa by the back of the neck during a mild skirmish after the halftime whistle.
Inter Miami will face Sporting Kansas City Tuesday night in Fort Lauderdale in the second and deciding leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup first round series. Miami won the first leg 1-0 at Children’s Mercy Park, braving the cold and seizing the advantage on a Messi goal.
The club returns to action in MLS on Sunday night, facing the Houston Dynamo in Texas.
