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Jorge Mas, the owner of Inter Miami, blasted Major League Soccer’s decision to suspend Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba for one game.
Messi and Alba will be sidelined for Inter Miami’s match against Eastern Conference-leading Cincinnati FC Saturday.
Both players skipped Wednesday’s MLS All-Star game in Austin, Texas, despite receiving enough votes. The major league All-Stars defeated the Liga MX All-Stars 3-1.
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But Mas asserted the league’s decision was a “draconian” punishment.
“They don’t understand the decision,” Mas said Friday. “They don’t understand why not attending an exhibition match leads directly to a suspension.”
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Messi, the captain of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup champion team, cited the need to rest instead of competing in the All-Star game. Meanwhile, Alba was dealing with a previous injury.
Mas said the club made the decision for Messi and Alba to sit out of the All-Star Game.
According to MLS rules, any player who doesn’t participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in his club’s next match.
Messi and Alba practiced with the club Friday in anticipation of playing in Saturday’s match before MLS announced the suspension.
“I know Lionel Messi loves this league,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. “I don’t think there’s a player — or anyone — who has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi. I fully understand, respect and admire his commitment to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision.
“Unfortunately, we have a long-standing policy regarding participation in the All-Star Game, and we had to enforce it. It was a very difficult decision.”
Garber added that the league will reevaluate the policy and work with players to “determine how the rule should evolve.”
Mas said Inter Miami expressed its disagreement over the suspension and the rule. Mas also noted there were six MLS games Friday night, less than 48 hours after an All-Star Game.
“That’s not right,” Mas said. “That’s not right to the players.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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