Messi finds camera, tells whole world he loathes new MLS rule

Messi made sure everyone watching knew how he felt about one new MLS regulation

MLS has some new rules, and Lionel Messi thinks at least one of them should go.

During Inter Miami’s 3-2 win at CF Montréal, Messi quite literally looked into a broadcast camera to announce his take on MLS’s new guidelines for players who need to leave the field for treatment.

Under the new regulations, a player who stays down injured for longer than 15 seconds must leave the field for a minimum of two minutes, and is not allowed back until the referee waves them on.

Messi got to give the new rule a spin after an ugly 40th minute challenge from Montréal defender George Campbell on Saturday.

Messi understandably stayed down for well over a minute after the heavy contact with his shin and foot. Since referee Drew Fischer didn’t book Campbell, Messi was required to trudge off the field with Miami’s training staff.

The icon got to the touchline at Stade Saputo in the 43rd minute, watching on as play resumed for only a few seconds. The next stoppage? Another Montréal foul, this time with Samuel Piette clipping Luis Suárez in prime territory for Messi to fire a direct free kick on goal.

However, Fischer enforced the new regulations, meaning Messi had to stand on and watch. That’s when Messi offered up his take on the rule, which was the product of some experimentation in MLS Next Pro dating back to the 2022 season.

Finding a midfield camera and looking directly into it, Messi shook his head and said in Spanish “With this type of rule, we are doing badly.”

With 10 men on the pitch and Messi essentially rolling his eyes, the Herons got a remedy to their complaints.

Matías Rojas stepped in for Messi on the dead ball, delivering a sensational, curling free kick from nearly 30 yards out.

Messi would have to continue standing on the touchline until the 45th minute, when fourth official Michael Venne allowed the No. 10 to make his way back into the match.

If that weren’t enough, Miami ran afoul of another new MLS rule in the game’s final moments. Protecting a narrow lead as stoppage time loomed, Suárez was replaced by Leo Campana. However, the Uruguayan took longer than the maximum of 10 seconds MLS has mandated for players to leave the field.

The league has issued a new rule where, in that situation, the substitute entering play must wait a full minute before coming on. Venne enforced the rule, setting off vociferous protests from Suárez, Campana, and Miami manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino (who at least recovered his composure to drag Suárez away before the situation got worse).

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