Messi ‘extremely upset’ by ‘draconian’ MLS ban | OneFootball

Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas has said Lionel Messi is “extremely upset” after he and Inter Miami team-mate Jordi Alba were given one-match bans for missing Major League Soccer’s All-Star game.

Messi and Alba chose to not take part in the All-Star fixture on Wednesday, as the MLS squad earned a 3-1 victory over Mexico’s Liga MX All-Stars.

MLS imposes a strict rule on players who choose to opt out of the All-Star clash, handing out one-match suspensions for their next league fixture.

“Per league rules, any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club’s next match,” MLS said in a statement on Friday.

Messi and Alba will not miss Inter Miami’s fixture against FC Cincinnati this weekend. Mas has criticised the decision and believes the ban will impact how Messi – who has become the face of MLS since his move to Miami – views the league.

“He’s very upset, extremely upset, as expected,” Mas said.

“I’m hopeful it doesn’t have an impact long-term. Will it have an impact initially, in the players’ perception of how the league rules work? Absolutely no doubt.

“The reaction was exactly as expected out 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.

“The rule is what it is, but they don’t understand it. I think that the punishment for the rule is frankly draconian.”

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