Messi’s late-game confrontation puts Inter Miami star under MLS spotlight

Lionel Messi could face disciplinary action from Major League Soccer after becoming involved in a mass confrontation during Inter Miami’s 2-2 draw with Philadelphia Union.

The Argentina international was shown in footage appearing to tap or slap Quinn Sullivan on the back of the neck before confronting the Philadelphia player face to face. Messi was not punished immediately by the referee, but the incident is expected to be reviewed by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.

The confrontation took place during a tense finale to Thursday’s match, which saw both Philadelphia Union’s Cavan Sullivan and Inter Miami’s Yannick Bright sent off.

Messi had earlier scored in the 26th minute, ending his goalless run since the death of his father. However, his goal was not enough to secure victory for Inter Miami, who had to settle for a point.

The late disorder began when Inter Miami defender Ian Fray went past Quinn Sullivan while the Philadelphia player was on the ground. Sullivan responded by bringing Fray down, prompting tensions between the two teams to escalate.

Cavan Sullivan then moved in to defend his brother and became involved in an exchange with Bright. The confrontation eventually led to both players receiving red cards.

Video footage later appeared to show Messi making contact with the back of Quinn Sullivan’s neck before the pair moved towards one another in an intense face-to-face exchange.

“JUST IN: Lionel Messi tapped Quinn Sullivan on the back of the neck before confronting him head-on.This action will now be evaluated by the Disciplinary Committee.”

The referee closest to the incident did not see the moment of contact. However, he quickly intervened when he noticed the tension between Messi and Sullivan intensifying.

According to Inter Miami reporter Jose Armando, MLS has opened an investigation into Messi’s conduct. A financial penalty is considered more likely than a suspension, although the league’s rules allow for a ban.

“Esta accion de Lionel Messi sera evaluada por el Comite Disciplinario.Lo mas normal seria que resulte en una sancion economica. La ley permite suspension de partido.Sucedio en el segundo tiempo del empate frente a Philadelphia Union.#InterMiamiCF#Messi…”

Under MLS regulations, a player may be fined for deliberately touching an opponent’s face, head or neck when that action provokes or escalates an individual incident or contributes to a mass confrontation.

The rules state that anyone found to have made such contact in a way that causes an incident to flare up, increases its severity or leads to a collective altercation must receive at least a financial penalty.

Messi is therefore waiting to discover whether the committee will impose only a fine or decide that a more serious punishment is justified. The review will determine whether the footage is considered sufficient to establish a breach of the competition’s disciplinary regulations.

The outcome could become clearer before Inter Miami’s next fixture, with the club scheduled to face Toronto FC on Saturday.