Messi and Alba Face Suspension

Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba of Inter Miami are reportedly set to be suspended for Saturday’s match against FC Cincinnati. According to international media reports on Friday, the suspension stems from missing Wednesday’s All-Star Game.

Cincinnati previously defeated Miami 3-0 and secured the top spot in the Eastern Conference after a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake the prior Saturday.

Miami, with Messi, has rebounded since their loss to Cincinnati, achieving a 5-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls last Saturday. They currently hold fifth place, with three games in hand over each of the top four Eastern Conference teams.

In their earlier match, Cincinnati kept Lionel Messi from scoring, ending his streak of five games with two goals each.

Miami may be without key players Messi and Alba, who were absent from Wednesday’s All-Star Game.

Major League Soccer (MLS) rules stipulate that any All-Star player who misses the game without a reported injury or league-approved exemption will be suspended for one match. An official announcement from the league is pending.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber acknowledged that Miami’s schedule is more condensed than other teams, a concern that needs to be addressed, while also noting the importance of adhering to league rules.

“The majority of our teams were given a 10-day respite. Miami did not get that,” Garber stated on Wednesday.

“Therefore, we are required to manage that issue at the league level. Simultaneously, we are bound by regulations that must also be observed.”

Evander, a key player for Cincinnati who scored twice against Miami in their previous encounter, captained the MLS All-Stars in their 3-1 victory over the Liga MX All-Stars.

Evander enters Saturday’s game with the third-highest total of goal contributions in the league (23).

“I am simply playing and relishing the present moment,” Evander remarked.

“I was concentrating on achieving the objectives, and I succeeded.”