Lionel Messi Criticizes MLS Referee After Inter Miami Defeat To Orlando City

After Inter Miami’s disappointing 3-0 defeat to Orlando City in their recent MLS match, Lionel Messi voiced his frustrations regarding the officiating.

Following the defeat, Lionel Messi criticised the referee’s apparent lack of understanding of the back-pass rule.

The match, held at Chase Stadium, saw Inter Miami struggle against a determined Orlando City side. The scoring opened just two minutes before halftime when Luis Muriel found the back of the net, giving the visitors a crucial lead.

In the second half, Marco Palasic doubled Orlando’s advantage with a well-placed shot eight minutes after the restart.

The final blow came in stoppage time when Dagur Dan Porhallsson added a third goal, sealing the victory for Orlando.

One of the key moments in the match that drew Messi’s ire was a controversial play involving a back-pass from an Orlando player to their goalkeeper.

Messi recounted his conversation with the referee, revealing that the official admitted he was unfamiliar with the rule regarding back-passes, an oversight that led to confusion and ultimately contributed to one of Orlando’s goals.

Messi stated, “All they could do was play long balls.. The referee told me he didn’t know the rule, that he didn’t understand it. From that play came a long ball and their goal.”

While Messi acknowledged the shortcomings of the officiating, he refrained from using this as an excuse for his team’s loss.

Instead, he emphasised the need for Major League Soccer to take a serious look at the quality of refereeing in the league, noting that inconsistencies and errors often impact matches.

“I think MLS needs to take a closer look at the officiating,” he said, calling for an improvement in standards to ensure fairer play for all teams involved.