Inter Miami`s star players, Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba, have pulled out of the MLS All-Star Game in Austin, Texas, causing a significant change to the roster. Despite being voted in and expected to start against the Liga MX All-Stars, the pair will not participate. While no official reason for their withdrawal has been provided, league rules suggest they could face a one-match suspension.
This isn`t Messi`s first absence; he also missed last season`s All-Star Game due to injury. However, MLS policy dictates that players who miss the event without a verified injury risk a one-game ban. Should Messi and Alba be suspended, they would miss Inter Miami`s crucial home match against FC Cincinnati on Saturday.
Having recently suffered a 3-0 defeat to Cincinnati on July 16, the Herons desperately need a win this weekend to improve their standing in the Eastern Conference, where they currently lag seven points behind Cincinnati. Although Miami has three games in hand due to their Club World Cup commitments, securing immediate points on the league table is paramount.
MLS Commissioner Don Garber addressed the situation, emphasizing the league`s commitment to the All-Star Game while also acknowledging the demanding schedule faced by Inter Miami and its players. He stated:
“Anything that`s going to happen as it relates to next weekend, we`re not going to talk about today because the game`s not until this coming weekend, and we don`t need to announce that now. We`re managing through that process as we speak, but I want to say something that we as a league deal with. We have an All-Star Game that we believe is a real priority, as do all leagues… You know that All-Star Games have a uniqueness to them as it relates to all the leagues and where do you fit it in the schedule, how do you make it a priority for all your stakeholders, not just your players but your fans, your partners take a break and all the meetings that we`ve had. It`s the first time we`ve had all of our CSOs here, all of our CBOs here, all of our owners here. It is an important midseason break for us. At the same time, we have a player who is… He`s played nine matches in 30 days. Miami`s had a schedule that is unlike any other team. Most of our teams had a 10-day break. Miami hasn`t. We had Leo playing 90 minutes in almost all the games that he`s played… We have to manage through that as a league. The same time, we do have rules and we have to manage through that as well, so we would have loved to have Leo here. We`d have loved to have every player who was selected for the All-Star team here, and after this All-Star Game, we`ll figure out what needs to happen this weekend. I was told this morning that neither Jordi or Messi practiced today, so Jordi came off with an injury last game, and we`ll have to manage through what Miami is going to say about that.”
Garber concluded by acknowledging, “We should`ve known earlier, we should`ve addressed it earlier. No doubt about that.”
What are the potential consequences?
In a statement to The Athletic, MLS confirmed, “The league office needs to speak with the club before we confirm player availability for Saturday.”
This consultation is crucial to ascertain the specific reasons behind Messi and Alba`s non-participation in Wednesday`s All-Star Game, an event the league heavily promotes. Fans had anticipated seeing Messi face former Real Madrid stars Sergio Ramos and James Rodriguez on the Austin pitch, a matchup that will now not occur.
While legitimate reasons for missing the game exist, it falls to the league, in dialogue with Inter Miami, to verify them. MLS Commissioner Don Garber was already scheduled to discuss the league`s status before Wednesday`s All-Star Game, and it`s anticipated that Messi`s absence will also be a topic.
MLS All-Stars vs. Liga MX All-Stars: Match Details
- Date: Wednesday, July 23
- Time: 9 p.m. ET
- Location: Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas
- Live Stream: MLS Season Pass
