Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has been fined an undisclosed sum by Major League Soccer’s Disciplinary Committee for grabbing a New York City FC coach by the neck in Saturday’s MLS season opener, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
The video footage showed Messi getting up to approach the coach and grabbed the back of his neck, eventually leading to that person pulling back. The league announced the sanction on Tuesday.
Messi’s teammate Luis Suárez was fined as well because of a violation of the league’s “face/head/neck of an opponent policy.” In another match, the Uruguayan forward pinched NYCFC defender Birk Risa on the back of the neck.
Inter Miami, fresh off their MLS opener, were scheduled to meet Sporting Kansas City later Tuesday in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
