An Inter Miami team missing the suspended Lionel Messi missed the chance to gain ground on Eastern Conference leaders FC Cincinnati after being held to a 0-0 draw in Major League Soccer on Saturday.
Lionel Messi was left disappointed after he and his Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba were suspended for skipping Major League Soccer’s (MLS) All-Star Game last Wednesday, and Inter Miami co-owner fears the decision may affect their efforts to keep the World Cup winner at the club beyond this year.
Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber refused to be drawn on whether the league planned to sanction Lionel Messi after the Inter Miami and Argentina superstar was a late withdrawal from Wednesday's All-Star game.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami team-mate Jordi Alba could face a suspension after withdrawing from Major League Soccer's All-Star game, multiple US media reports said on Wednesday.
Messi increased his total goals in MLS games to 18 this season and has contributed on 27 scores.
Four days after he became the first player ever to score multiple goals in four straight MLS matches, Messi delivered his fifth brace in five MLS games.
The 38-year-old Argentine star has scored two goals in each of his last four MLS games to become the first MLS player to score multiple goals in four straight games.
Miami were playing their first MLS game in more than a month. They had advanced past the first phase of the Club World Cup but fell 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16 last week.
The former France striker told reporters he believed MLS was "underrated" by the rest of the world.
Leading goal scorer Denis Bouanga and Most Valuable Player Luciano Acosta were among the MLS Best 11 players named on Tuesday by the league as the top men at their positions.
Inter Miami says it has not agreed to compete in Saudi Arabia next February, refuting the claims by a promoter announced earlier Tuesday that the MLS team would face two Saudi clubs.
Inter Miami saluted Argentine star Lionel Messi's eighth Ballon d'Or on Friday, but their friendly match to mark the achievement ended in a 2-1 loss to MLS rivals New York City FC.
Lionel Messi returned to the starting lineup but couldn't prevent his first MLS season from ending in defeat as Charlotte FC beat Inter Miami 1-0 in front of a crowd of 66,101 at Bank of America Stadium.
Pep Guardiola says Lionel Messi should have his own category at the Ballon d'Or but admitted the World Cup winner and Manchester City hotshot Erling Haaland would both be deserving winners of the prize.
Messi returned from injury as a substitute in the 55th minute but Cincinnati, who have earned top seed in the playoffs, grabbed the win with a goal from Argentine Alvaro Barreal
Messi has played just 37 minutes for his club since September 3 having returned with an injury from international duty with Argentina last month.
Inter Miami rested Lionel Messi and suffered their first defeat since the Argentine joined the club, with a 5-2 hammering at Atlanta United damaging their playoff hopes on Saturday.
Inter Miami delivered the most impressive win of their Lionel Messi era, 3-1 at Major League Soccer champions Los Angeles FC on Sunday, with two assists from the Argentine boosting their playoff hopes.
Lionel Messi and Inter Miami face the MLS champions as their bid to make the playoffs takes them to Los Angeles on Sunday.
