Messi Cleared of MLS Violations After Locker Room Incident

Lionel Messi is no longer under scrutiny regarding potential violations of MLS regulations after a recent post-match incident. This came to light following Inter Miami’s loss to Los Angeles FC with a score of 3-0 on Saturday.

A video surfaced online showing the 38-year-old soccer legend seemingly pursuing a referee into the locker room of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum shortly after the game. It garnered a lot of attention over the weekend, especially as footage showed match officials trailing Messi while teammate Luis Suarez made attempts to hold him back.

In the video, Messi vanishes through a door but reappears moments later, heading towards his team’s locker room.

Upon review, the MLS concluded that Messi didn’t enter any restricted areas. This finding was corroborated by a professional refereeing organization. Chris Rivette, the communication director for the Professional Referees Organization, mentioned in a statement, “After speaking with match officials, we can confirm that Lionel Messi was not in the official locker room.”

Inter Miami’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, expressed to reporters after the match that he was unaware of any issues between Messi and the referee. “No, no, I didn’t see anything. The truth is, I went into the locker room after the game,” he commented.

This isn’t the first time Messi has faced discipline from the league. In the past, he received a fine for violations involving contact with an opponent’s face during a match against New York City FC. Additionally, he was suspended for one game last season for missing the MLS All-Star Game, an incident that reportedly left him “very upset,” according to Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas, who referred to the sanction as “harsh.”