Lionel Messi has been fined by Major League Soccer (MLS) for grabbing the neck of an opposing coach during a recent match.
MLS announced that its disciplinary committee fined Messi for making contact with an opponent’s face, head, or neck during Saturday’s 2-2 draw between Inter Miami and New York City FC. The exact amount of the fine has not been disclosed.
According to MLS, Messi approached New York City coach Mehdi Ballouchy after the match and twice touched the back of his neck and shoulder with his right hand. Messi’s teammate, Luis Suárez, also faced disciplinary action for pinching the neck of an opposing player after the first half, violating the same rule.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano kept his comments brief about the incident, saying, “It’s difficult sometimes to control the emotions. I think the press sometimes wants to create a circus about it.” He added that sometimes when there are bad calls, it can feel like things aren’t going in one’s favor. He explained that to truly understand a player’s emotions, one must be on the field, as it’s tough to grasp from a distance.
Mascherano said that incidents involving referees or opposing players happen in every game and emphasized that what’s said and done on the field should stay there. He said they would move on from this and focus on preparing for the next match.