Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi has been fined by Major League Soccer for slapping Philadelphia Union midfielder Quinn Sullivan during Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at Subaru Park.
The incident happened late in the match after Messi had played the ball and believed Sullivan had elbowed him. Messi responded by striking the back of Sullivan’s head, prompting an angry reaction from the Philadelphia player before the referee intervened.
MLS confirmed that Messi had been fined but did not disclose the amount.
The Argentina international scored Inter Miami’s second goal in the match, his first since the death of his father, Jorge Messi. The goal came during Messi’s return to club football after travelling to Argentina to attend his father’s funeral.
Messi, 39, was not the only Inter Miami player punished following the fractious contest. The club’s Ian Fray was also fined after grabbing Sullivan by the neck.
That confrontation followed a coming-together in the penalty area. Sullivan had lost his footing before becoming tangled with Fray, leading to the Inter Miami defender taking hold of his opponent.
The match ended in further disorder, with both sides reduced to 10 players during stoppage time. Inter Miami’s Yannick Bright and Cavan Sullivan, Quinn’s brother, were sent off.
Cavan Sullivan initially faced a one-match suspension, but that punishment has since been rescinded following a review.
The draw leaves Inter Miami second in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind leaders Nashville.
Messi’s appearance came shortly after a difficult period away from the club. He had returned to Miami after being in Argentina for the funeral of Jorge Messi, who was 68 and had been his son’s agent.
Jorge Messi died following a long illness. In a tribute to his father, Lionel Messi indicated that he might not continue playing football for much longer.
Despite scoring in the draw, Messi was unable to guide Inter Miami to victory in a match which became increasingly heated in its closing stages. The disciplinary action against him and Fray, alongside the red cards involving Bright and Cavan Sullivan, reflected the bad-tempered nature of the game.
The MLS announcement did not provide details of the financial penalties imposed on Messi or Fray. The league also confirmed the change to Cavan Sullivan’s suspension after reviewing the late dismissal.
Inter Miami remain in pursuit of Nashville at the top of the Eastern Conference, with the seven-point gap separating the sides after Wednesday’s result.
