MLS suspends MNUFC's Joseph Rosales 3 matches after slur investigation | OneFootball

Major League Soccer has issued Minnesota United's Joseph Rosales a three-match suspension for violating the MLS and MLS Players Union's joint non-discrimination policy in Minnesota's 3-1 defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 27.

The suspension applies to MNUFC's next two league matches -- at Houston on Wednesday and home to St. Louis on Saturday -- as well as the Loons' U.S. Open Cup round of 16 meeting against St. Louis on Wed., May 21.

The ban is only the second issued by MLS following an investigation into an alleged on-field discrimination incident.

Former New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir was suspended for six matches for using racist language toward Jeremy Ebobisse, then of the San Jose Earthquakes, during a match early in the 2023 MLS regular season. Vanzeir amitted his wrongdoing shortly after the incident.

Result of investigation unclear

Rosales was accused of violating the policy in the game's late stages by Vancouver's Emmanuel Sabbi, prompting an MLS investigation. An MLS spokesperson told the St. Paul Pioneer-Press it could not comment on the result of the league's investigation.

“These situations, in general, are really tricky because I don’t think anyone is ever going to be able to say in concrete either way as to what happened,” manager Erick Ramsay told the Pioneer-Press. “Of course, Joe is in our camp here and … I’ve known him for a year, everyone else has known him for that amount of time and longer. Everyone trusts him, likes him, has zero question marks against him. I can only put myself in that bracket and do my best to really support Joe around what is a tricky set of circumstances.”

Rosales must participate in a restorative practices program as part of the conditions of reinstatement.

This is the second such incident involving a Minnesota United player. The first involved Franco Fragapane, whom longtime Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Chara accused during a 2021 match.

The league issued no discipline for Fragapane after investigating that episode. Fragapane played with the Loons through the 2024 season before moving on to Union Santa Fe in his native Argentina this offseason.

Minnesota enters the midweek Matchday 13 in second place in the Western Conference, and perhaps more famously, fifth in the MLS Supporters' Shield standings, a point in front of Lionel Messi and Inter Miami after their 4-1 win over the Herons on Saturday.