Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano has voiced his displeasure with Major League Soccer (MLS) following the suspension of Lionel Messi.
Messi was unavailable for Inter Miami’s goalless draw against FC Cincinnati on Saturday, a decision that sparked criticism from his former teammate and current manager.
Speaking at Chase Stadium after the match, Mascherano questioned the league’s consistency, accusing the MLS of double standards in its handling of star players like Messi.
“I don’t like to speak about other people’s decisions, but it’s strange when something is said one day and the opposite happens the next,” Mascherano told reporters. “Messi has played an enormous number of matches. When it’s about selling tickets or filling stadiums, no one complains. But now that we had a home game, he’s suspended? Would they have done the same if we were playing away? It’s frustrating.”
The controversy comes after Messi and Jordi Alba skipped the recent MLS All-Star match despite being named in the squad. As a result, both players received a one-match suspension in line with league rules.
The suspension was confirmed just 24 hours before the FC Cincinnati match by the MLS commissioner, further fueling tensions between Inter Miami and the leagu
