Upset Messi banned over All-Star absence

MIAMI (AFP) — Lionel Messi and Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba have been suspended after the duo skipped Major League Soccer’s (MLS) All-Star Game earlier this week, the league said Friday.

MLS said in a statement Messi and Alba would be unavailable for Saturday’s clash against FC Cincinnati “due to their absence” at this week’s All-Star showpiece.

“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,” the league said in a brief statement.

Messi and Alba had both been selected to play for a combined MLS side in Wednesday’s game against a team drawn from Mexico’s Liga-MX as part of the league’s All-Star break.

However, both players withdrew from the showpiece early Wednesday for reasons that were not revealed.

The 11th-hour snub left Messi and Alba both facing sanction. Under MLS rules, players selected for the All-Star game must participate unless they have a valid reason — such as an injury — not to do so.

MLS commissioner Don Garber said Friday the league had been left with no choice but to suspend players from duty this weekend, describing the ruling as a “very difficult decision.”

“I know Lionel Messi loves this league,” Garber said.

“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, however, said MLS would review its existing policy in future.

“We’re going to take a hard look at the policy moving forward,” he said. “I’m committed to working with our players to determine how the rule should evolve.”

Inter Miami’s billionaire co-owner Jorge Mas blasted the decision to suspend Messi and Alba in a conference call with reporters later Friday, describing Messi as “very upset” by the league’s ruling.