A furious Lionel Messi took the neck of an opposite coach and smelled to the referee after the 2-2 draw of Inter Miami on Saturday evening.
Messi saved a point for the herons in their MLS opener while the defense of New York City FC and set up Telasco Segovia for a goal in the 10th minute of the second half of the stop time.
But the Argentinian star was apparently dissatisfied with the result, as video from after the last whistle shows that he melts.
Messi first came into the face of the referee, while he was angry with the official Rosendo Mendoza and continued to eliminate him.
The referee gestured to Messi to walk away, but he kept talking and earned a yellow card.
Messi even briefly continued to argue with the referee after his booking before he finally walked the field.
On the way to the sidelines, NYCFC assistant Mehdi Ballouchy seemed to say something to Messi, which led to a fiery exchange between the couple while the Miami star covered his mouth.
Two assistants in Miami came in to spread the situation, and it seemed that Messi was about to leave the situation before he returned and put his hand on Ballouchy's neck for a few seconds.
Ballouchy, a former MLS player from Morocco, looked stunned when Messi finally ran off the field – and gestured for the coach to go with him.
It is not clear which set of Messi has put Ballouchy or Mendoza in the direction of Miami's last one in the 23rd minute of the game for a final grip on Alonso Martínez.
Aviles opened the score for Miami in the fifth minute – also via a Messi Assist – before Mitja Ilenic of New York City equalized the game in the 26th.
Martinez later hit a Miami road action in the 55th minute to give the visitors a lead before Miami bound it late.
Miami now has a quick change for the second stage of their Concacaf Champions Cup First round on Tuesday against Sporting KC, which they lead with 1-0.
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