Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba missed the MLS’s All-Star match against Mexican opposition and both received a one-game ban as a result but should not feel hard done by
Lionel Messi has been told to ‘grow up’ after missing the MLS All-Star match. The Inter Miami star, alongside Jordi Alba, did not feature in the game and as a result suffered a one-match ban.
Former Barcelona team-mates Messi and Alba were forced to sit out of their team’s match with FC Cincinnati as punishment for missing the showpiece event where a team of MLS All-Stars took on their Liga MX counterparts. Ex-US international and LA Galaxy president Alexi Lalas has launched a fiery response to any defence of Messi and the criticism over his punishment.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano claimed his superstar was fatigued but MLS rules state than anyone skipping the All-Star game without an injury must face a suspension. And Lalas has been left incredulous of the support Messi has received following the decision to miss the game.
The 55-year-old believes Messi missed his opportunity to get out of the game when negotiating his deal with the league. “Fascinating in the way that it has been handled and the reaction to it,” Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast.
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“We all have either been involved or grown up watching All-Star games and the phenomenon of All-Star Game when it comes to multiple sports here. It’s very normal for us…
But I will say that the framing that is happening right now of Messi as some saint, waging some righteous fight against the perceived evils and ills of MLS and its structure, or even the very concept of an MLS All-Star game.
“That’s a little rich, and that’s a little ridiculous. He signed his contract. He knew that playing in the All-Star game was part of his contract. So he knew the rules. So Messi, you need to grow up. You need to participate.
“And if you didn’t want to play in the All-Star game, you had the leverage at the moment you were signing your contract, and you should have negotiated for that.”
Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas had earlier made a staunch defence of his players and suggested it was the club who took the decision for Messi and Alba not to feature in the All-Star game. The team told the MLS in the days leading to the game that their stars would not play after a schedule of nine matches in 36 days.
“Lionel Messi is very upset, like we all are in the club, with the fact that they won’t be able to play tomorrow night. But I think what we have to do as a club is to get together as one, have an attitude that is us against the world,” Mas said.
“I think that the punishment for the rule is frankly draconian,” Mas added. “Obviously, it was not a positive reaction [from Messi and Alba]. They want to compete, they want to play games. That’s what they’re here for, to play and win. They understand the magnitude of tomorrow’s night’s game.
“So no, their reaction was exactly as expected of two competitive players who don’t understand the decision, who don’t understand why not attending an exhibition match leads directly to a suspension.”
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