The Major League Soccer (MLS) has recently issued an official statement clarifying the controversy surrounding Lionel Messi, the renowned star of Inter Miami, following an incident that sparked widespread debate in recent hours.
Inter Miami, the reigning champions of the MLS Cup, embarked on their new season under challenging circumstances, suffering a dispiriting defeat in front of an audience exceeding 75,000 spectators at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The match saw Los Angeles FC take control, with David Martinez opening the scoring in the 38th minute. The advantage was further extended by Dennis Bouanga in the 73rd minute, before Nathan Araujo sealed the victory deep into stoppage time at the 94th minute.
Clarification on Messi’s Controversial Behavior
Shortly after the final whistle, a video clip circulated on social media portraying Messi attempting to enter the referees’ locker room, only to be restrained by his teammate Luis Suarez. This footage quickly fueled speculation regarding the Argentine’s conduct during the game.
However, representatives from the MLS have categorically denied any unauthorized access by Messi. According to their statement provided to the sports outlet GOAL, the door Messi approached was neither the referees’ dressing room entrance nor any restricted area within the stadium.
Supporting this assertion, Chris Reeve, Communications Director at the Professional Referees Organization, communicated to ESPN that after consulting with the match officials, it was confirmed that Messi did not enter the referees’ building or any prohibited zones.
Moreover, league officials affirmed to GOAL that no disciplinary reports or complaints were filed by the referees against Messi pertaining to the incident.