Major League Soccer (MLS) is currently looking into allegations that Lionel Messi accessed the officials’ locker room without authorization after the game between Inter Miami and LAFC on Saturday at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
The league became aware of the situation after a video surfaced showing the Inter Miami captain seemingly entering the referees’ area for a brief moment.
However, Chris Rivett, the director of communications for the Professional Referee Organization, clarified to ESPN that Messi did not actually enter the officials’ locker room.
“After consulting with the match officials, we can verify that he did not enter the premises,” Rivett stated.
The MLS Disciplinary Committee typically releases decisions before the next round of matches, but the duration of deliberations can vary based on the investigation. Players also have the option to appeal the ruling, which could further postpone any announcements.
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Inter Miami’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, mentioned that he did not notice Messi showing any frustration with the officiating when asked about the player’s demeanor during the match.
“No, I didn’t see anything like that. To be honest, the match ended, and then I went straight to the locker room,” he said during the post-match press conference.
Inter Miami’s next match is against Orlando City on March 1 at Inter&Co Stadium.