Lionel Messi makes statement on controversial MLS ban after Inter Miami heroics
Lionel Messi admitted that he struggled to find his rhythm in the first half against Atlas on Wednesday night after sitting out Inter Miami 's last outing - claiming he "needs to compete" - before producing in the second-half to help his side land a winning start to their Leagues Cup campaign.
Messi had a week off after being hit with a one-game suspension by the MLS and said that while rest may suit some players it wasn't something he needed as it took him 45 minutes to get into his groove.
The Argentine eventually came up trumps in the second-half as he laid on both goals for Inter Miami. Telasco Segovia equalised just before the hour mark and Marcelo Weigandt came up with the winner in stoppage time, which was initially ruled out for offside before VAR overturned it.
Messi has scored or assisted 21 of Inter Miami's last 27 goals in all competitions, dating back to late May as he continues to be a hugely influential figure for the Florida outfit.
He said after the game: "The truth is that it was difficult with the heat, and not having played the other day. Even if [the rest] seems better, for me it's worse because I need to compete. I feel good physically the more matches I play and get into rhythm. The other day they didn't let me compete, and I felt it in the first half, but the important thing is that we won."
The World Cup winner watched from the sidelines as Inter Miami held FC Cincinnati to a draw on Saturday. His punishment was sent down by the league's chiefs after he missed the MLS All-Star Game. The Argentine skipped the exhibition clash and, at the time, no reason was given for the league's biggest name not taking part.
Since then Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano claimed he was fatigued. MLS rules state than anyone who skips the All-Star Game without an injury has to accept a one-match ban.
Messi's team-mate Jordi Albawas subjected to the same ban after also bypassing the game. MLS commissioner Don Garber said last week: 'We do have rules, and we have to manage through that as well. We would have loved to have Leo here. We'd love to have every player that was selected for the All-Star team here. After this All-Star Game, we'll figure out what needs to happen.
"I was told this morning that neither Jordi nor Messi practiced today (Wednesday). Jordi came off with an injury in last game, and we'll have to manage through what Miami is going to say about that.'
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Siraj carry sums up Test series of great moments to live long in the memory
The 1990 football World Cup was not, in truth, a great tournament, but it was a tournament of great moments, and in time they became all that was remembered. An often dreary event to live through – no World Cup has had an average fewer goals per match – it was rescued by the most remarkable of all curtain-raisers, Benjamin Massing's assault on Claudio Caniggia, Roger Milla's dancing, René Higuita's goalkeeping, Lothar Matthäus's wonder goal, David Platt's volley, Frank Rijkaard and Rudi Völler, Gazza's tears. In the end, these moments are all that get remembered. It has gone down as a classic. This series has gone through the same process in fast forward. Marked more than anything by players bravely hauling themselves beyond the brink of exhaustion on flat wickets, it has simply produced too many great moments to not in fact be great. Already the longueurs have fallen from the memory, leaving only legends: Rishabh Pant's acrobatics; the Headingley run chase; Shubman Gill's 269 and Akash Deep's 10 wickets; Jofra Archer striking with his third ball back in Test cricket; time-wasting, fury, 'the spirit of the game'; Shoaib Bashir winning a Test with a freak wicket taken while bowling with a multiply fractured finger; Pant limping out to bat at Old Trafford; a cameo from future pub quiz question Anshul Kamboj; Ben Stokes bowling his way out of the series with a barely functional right arm; India refusing to fold, or to accept the draw; four Tests (so far) going to the last session of the last day; the Oval groundkeeper Lee Fortis; Deep becoming England's nightmare watchman; the dizzying narrative twists across the fourth day here. Thanks to a brief, heavy and deeply inconvenient shower this game, like all the rest, has gone to a fifth day, having seemed set to become the second of the series to end with India coming to terms with unexpected defeat. The words of Washington Sundar with one day of the third Test remaining still linger: 'Winning a Test at Lord's is going to be amazing. We're sitting pretty.' A few weeks later and a few miles away, on Saturday night at the Oval it was Yashasvi Jaiswal who summed up his team's thinking: 'We are really confident. We just need to keep bowling in the right areas.' Jaiswal, more than anyone, had every reason to think fate was on India's side this time. He had been on 40, towards the end of the third day, when he sent the ball steepling straight to the fielder at deep fine leg – Liam Dawson, on the field because of Chris Woakes's shoulder injury – who simply had no idea what was going on. Dawson sensed people turning in his direction, deduced he was about to be involved in something, needed only to work out what it was. And then, in the most literal sense, it hit him. India led by 32 as the ball bounced off Dawson and on to the ground, and when Jaiswal was eventually dismissed deep into the following day he had stretched that to precisely 250. It seemed then that a moment of calamitous deep fielding would decide the game, and as the end came into view it still did. The only question was which one. Mohammed Siraj has had a phenomenal series. No amount of praise could be too much. Nobody has bowled as many overs, taken as many wickets, given so much of themselves. Only slips and wicketkeepers have taken more catches. It was Siraj who Bashir dismissed to end the Lord's Test, after he had faced 30 deliveries for four gutsy, stubborn, determined runs. Even his body language, his wonderful ability to physically express the situation in which he finds himself, is unrivalled. He has been magnetic, magnificent, an outsider who is simply unprepared to be anything but integral. And just as it seemed to have swung closed it was Siraj who thrust open the door for England to win the series. Sign up to The Spin Subscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week's action after newsletter promotion Harry Brook was on 19, and England still 237 runs from their target, when he attacked a short delivery from Prasidh Krishna. It was an ugly shot, leaden-footed, top-edged towards deep backward square leg where Siraj stood. He set himself for the catch, waited, watched, and safely collected the ball. Prasidh spread his arms in celebration; KL Rahul sprinted from the slips to congratulate the bowler; Siraj took a step back, on to the boundary padding. Instead of raising a finger, the umpire raised both arms. When Brook was finally dismissed – caught, inevitably, by Siraj, which even then felt more like cruelty than redemption – England needed only 73. In the final analysis Siraj seemed destined to have had a phenomenal, brilliant, inspiring, humiliating failure of a series. In the end, these moments are all that are remembered – but still there is time for a couple more.
Rhyl Journal
2 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Chelsea sign 19-year-old Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax
The 19-year-old, who has been capped six times by his country, has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge. He becomes the Blues' eighth signing of the summer transfer window. 'I'm very excited, I'm so happy to be here,' Hato, who can operate in central defence or at left-back, told the Premier League club's website. Jorrel Hato is officially a Blue. 🔵✍️ — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 3, 2025 'I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that so I'm very happy.' Hato joined Ajax's academy from hometown club Sparta Rotterdam in 2018 and signed his first professional contract aged 16 four years later. He scored four goals in 111 appearances for the Eredivisie giants, with his international debut coming as a substitute in a 6–0 win against Gibraltar in November 2023. Club World Cup champions Chelsea begin the new top-flight season on Sunday, August 17 at home to London rivals Crystal Palace.
South Wales Guardian
3 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Chelsea sign 19-year-old Netherlands defender Jorrel Hato from Ajax
The 19-year-old, who has been capped six times by his country, has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge. He becomes the Blues' eighth signing of the summer transfer window. 'I'm very excited, I'm so happy to be here,' Hato, who can operate in central defence or at left-back, told the Premier League club's website. Jorrel Hato is officially a Blue. 🔵✍️ — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 3, 2025 'I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that so I'm very happy.' Hato joined Ajax's academy from hometown club Sparta Rotterdam in 2018 and signed his first professional contract aged 16 four years later. He scored four goals in 111 appearances for the Eredivisie giants, with his international debut coming as a substitute in a 6–0 win against Gibraltar in November 2023. Club World Cup champions Chelsea begin the new top-flight season on Sunday, August 17 at home to London rivals Crystal Palace.
