I Disagree With The Decision To Ban Messi – Mascherano

Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano has come out to criticize MLS for suspending Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba as punishment for skipping the All-Star Game. He recently had his say following Inter Miami’s 0-0 draw with FC Cincinnati, and fans have been reacting.

According to him, the reality is that Lionel Messi deserved rest for playing too many games, but because the exhibition matches are about selling tickets or filling stadiums, no one cares.

Mascherano added that he completely disagrees with the decision, but he’ll focus on things he can control.

His words, “You’ve probably heard me say this many times – it’s the example I give my players: focus on what you can control. I have to make the most of the resources I have. I didn’t come here to criticize MLS or its rules. I completely disagree with the decision, but we’ve adapted. We clearly deserved to win, and now we move forward.

I don’t like to speak about other people’s decisions, but it’s strange when something is said one day and the opposite happens the next. Messi has played an enormous number of matches. When it’s about selling tickets or filling stadiums, no one complains. But now that we had a home game, he’s suspended? Would they have done the same if we were playing away? It’s frustrating.”

On the game, “We just lacked the finishing touch today. We had five or six really clear chances, and their goalkeeper did well.

We’ve been scoring a lot recently. Of course, Messi wasn’t on the pitch and we felt his absence, but overall the performance was very strong – even though we still have room for improvement.

As for the refereeing… I won’t say much. I think we’re one of the teams that creates the most chances, and after 22 matches, we haven’t been awarded a single penalty. I’ll just leave that out there.”

WOW.

Lionel Andrés Messi, also known as Leo Messi, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Messi has won a record seven Ballon d’Or awards and a record six European Golden Shoes, and in 2020 he was named to the Ballon d’Or Dream Team.

Until leaving the club in 2021, he had spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he won a club-record 35 trophies, including ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles and the UEFA Champions League four times.

With his country, he won the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. A prolific goalscorer and creative playmaker, Messi holds the records for most goals in La Liga (474), most hat-tricks in La Liga (36) and the UEFA Champions League (eight), and most assists in La Liga (192) and the Copa América (17).

He also has the most international goals by a South American male (103). Messi has scored over 800 senior career goals for club and country, and has the most goals by a player for a single club (672).