Lionel Messi has a bone to pick with Major League Soccer.
The Inter Miami star was not pleased Saturday night after he was fouled and was forced to the sideline for two minutes because of a new MLS rule, making him miss his team’s ensuing free kick.
Messi was fouled by Montreal’s George Campbell in the 40th minute, though Campbell did not receive a yellow card.
Because Messi, who was holding his knee, was down for longer than 15 seconds, he was sent off the field for two minutes.
While on the sideline, he looked into a television camera and said in Spanish, “These types of rules … it’s going bad,” according to ESPN.
MLS announced the new “off-field treatment rule” in December.
“If a player with a suspected injury remains on the ground for more than 15 seconds, the referee will stop play and wave the medical crew onto the field to evaluate the player. When safe, the player will be removed from the field and remain off the field for a minimum of two minutes for further assessment and treatment,” MLS said in a statement at the time.
The goal is to allow “medical staffs time to treat players, while also allowing match play to resume quickly.”
Fouls resulting in a yellow or red card would provide an exception to the rule, but because Campbell wasn’t carded, Messi had to miss time.
Inter Miami trailed 2-0 when Messi was fouled but scored twice before halftime and went on to win, 3-2.
“There are situations that must be revised,” Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino said after the game, per ESPN. “In Leo’s situation, he was clearly fouled. The player deserved a yellow card, which would mean Messi would’ve never left the field for two minutes. As I understand it, the team that suffered the foul was punished. With these new rule changes, there are situations that must be revised. The infraction was clear and was a yellow card, and ultimately it was us that lost Leo for two minutes.”
