Lionel Messi’s Exclusion from Atlanta Game and Alexi Lalas’ Criticism: Transparency Issues in MLS

Lionel Messi’s exclusion from the Atlanta game and its late announcement angered Alexi Lalas.

WHAT HAPPENED? Alexi Lalas has criticized Inter Miami’s handling of superstar Lionel Messi’s non-appearance in the MLS game against Atlanta United (2:5). The former US international said in Alexi Lalas’ State of the Union Podcastthat we have to deal with it more transparently if Messi is threatened with failure.

WHAT WAS SAID? After some pundits and fans who had bought expensive tickets for the game in Atlanta expressed criticism of Messi’s omission, MLS Commissioner Don Garber initially reassured him by emphasizing that he “cannot force a team or a player to do anything that “is not in the best interest of the player’s health or safety”.

Lalas said: “This is a bit disingenuous, simplistic and naive when it comes to Major League Soccer and what Don Garber did to Messi as commissioner.” From the moment he moved to Miami, Messi was “used” to drum up interest and “play up everything on and off the pitch.”

According to Lalas, it would only be fair to point out if the 46-year-old couldn’t play. After all, they had previously promoted Messi extensively: “I think that, whether it’s Inter Miami or the MLS, if they have information that he won’t play, they have to communicate it clearly.”

WHAT IS THE BACKGROUND? Messi had returned from an international trip with the Argentine national team injured and had missed a game for the first time since his spectacular move from PSG to Inter in mid-June due to muscle problems.

“I think it’s important, and I think it’s even essential for fans, teams and media to know,” Lalas said.

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