Rodrigo De Paul tried to be slick, but ended up getting sanctioned by the MLS | OneFootball

Inter Miami is moments away from facing Toronto FC at BMO Field for their 30th match in the MLS regular season. Las Garzas arrived at this game with a previous 4-0 victory against New York City FC at Citi Field.

With a more mature Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez’s return to the starting lineup, Inter Miami regains its offensive power.

With a spectacular performance from Lionel Messi, the Herons qualified for the postseason playoffs. However, Rodrigo De Paul, Inter Miami’s engine, has been sanctioned by the MLS board of directors.

Rodrigo De Paul tried to be smart, but it backfired on him

In Inter Miami's outstanding victory against NYC FC, Rodrigo De Paul was caught trying to play smart with the referees, but they didn’t buy it after the game.

Anyone who watches De Paul play knows he is all about doing the cheeky move to take advantage of any situation. That can range from talking to the referee to faking fouls like the ones he’s being accused of, for which he received a fine.

But what was the play the Argentinian footballer is being accused of? Let’s put ourselves at Citi Field during the first half of the game. Inter Miami had just lost possession, and the former Atletico de Madrid player switched into his defensive mode.

He put pressure on the rival carrying the ball on the sideline to try to protect the ball. Perea made a sudden movement with his left arm that hit the Herons player on the shoulder. This is where the attempt at trickery appears.

De Paul let himself fall to the ground, implying that the NYCFC player’s arm hit his face, which led the referee to call a foul in favor of the Herons.

At that precise moment, nothing happened, and the match continued its normal course. However, days later, the MLS Disciplinary Comitee released a statement sanctioning the former Racing Club player.

“The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Inter Miami CF midfielder Rodrigo De Paul for violating the league's policy regarding simulation/embellishment in the 26th minute of Inter Miami’s match against New York City FC on September 24th.”

The official amount of the fine hasn’t been released. Nevertheless, the motorcito should start to be careful and stop doing his move so obviously.

Now, the Commission board has him in its sights and will be watching closely the next time he simulates any foul. Regarding the economic sanction, it is the right choice.

However, if the sanction begins to impact his playing time or his ability to participate in matches, it could pose a significant challenge for Inter Miami.