Major League Soccer has given Lionel Messi a fine after the Inter Miami captain took an FC coach in New York City at the neck.
There was a furious Messi that NYCFC assistant Mehdi Ballouchy is approaching and grabbed the back of his neck, so he pulled away from the eight times Ballon d'Or winner.
MLS also fines Luis Suarez for violating the same 'face/head/neck of an opponent policy' during the break, when he squeezed the back of Norwegian defender Birk Risa's neck. The precise amount that each player was fined is unclear.
The 37-year-old Messi initially smelled to the referee after the 2-2 draw of Inter Miami on Saturday evening.
Messi had saved a point for Miami in their MLS opener, after he had woven through the defense of New York City FC to set up Telasco Segovia for a final goal.
But the Argentinian star then suffered a dramatic collapse after the last whistle. Messi first confronted the referee, angry to Rosendo Mendoza and the civil servant.
The referee dedicated Messi to walk away, only for the 37-year-old to continue his complaints. That earned him a yellow card.
While Messi then walked off the field of the field, the Ballouchy of NYCFC seemed to say something to the Inter Miami captain, who fell a fiery exchange between the couple.
Two Miami assistants came in to spread the situation, and it seemed that Messi was ready to walk away.
But the 37-year-old then returned and put his hand on Ballouchy's neck-to-big shock of the coach.
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