Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas said Lionel Messi is “extremely upset” after being issued a one-game suspension by Major League Soccer for not participating in Wednesday’s All-Star Game, a punishment the team official labeled “draconian.”
“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 at a news conference Friday.
Messi and Jordi Alba, who also missed Wednesday’s event, will be unavailable for the team’s game against MLS Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati on Saturday, as MLS rules state that any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in his club’s next match.
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“I think that the punishment for the rule is frankly draconian,” Mas said.
“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.”
Mas confirmed that it was Inter Miami, not the players, that decided they should miss the event, saying the club prioritized the health and wellness of both players over the league’s event due to the current schedule congestion.
Inter Miami communicated with the league Monday and Tuesday of this week that Messi and Alba would not attend the All-Star Game after playing nine matches in the past 36 days.
Since the start of the 2025 campaign, Inter Miami has participated in the Concacaf Champions League, MLS regular season and FIFA Club World Cup and will now prepare to feature in the upcoming edition of Leagues Cup.
“I wanted to express today our full support for Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, as the decision for them to sit out this week was made by the club. I think that is an important point. I want to assure everyone that Lionel and Jordi have acted in a way commeasured with what the club would want,” Mas said.
If put in a similar scheduling situation next year, Mas ensured a similar decision would be taken.
“It’s untenable. For example, if faced with this situation next year, where we have an away game on Saturday, the All-Star Game is on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and we have a game on Saturday, an important game, we’re going to be in the same boat, in the same situation,” Mas said.
MLS commissioner Don Garber said earlier that the league will “take a hard look at the policy moving forward.”
“I’m committed to working with our players to determine how the rule should evolve,” Garber added.
Messi’s contract with Inter Miami expires after the end of the 2025 campaign, and negotiations for a new deal are ongoing.
“Messi is very upset, extremely upset today, as expected,” Mas said when asked whether the sanction would impact Messi’s perception of the league and his desire to sign a contract extension with Inter Miami
“I’m hopeful it doesn’t have an impact long term. Will it have an impact initially in the player’s perception of how the league rules work, etc.? Absolutely, no doubt.”
