Inter Miami reportedly face a financial penalty from CONCACAF after what Lionel Messi did against CF Monterrey last week.
The Argentine international, who did not dress for the game, was involved in a post-match altercation involving Inter Miami personnel and match officials, with the Herons seeing six yellow cards and a red.
With leaked audio of Monterrey assistant coach Nico Sanchez since coming out that seems to attack Messi, this CONCACAF Champions Cup tie has quickly turned ugly for Inter Miami.
Inter Miami face financial punishment after Lionel Messi’s post-match scene vs Monterrey
Now, according to journalist Santiago Fourcade, Inter Miami will be financially punished by CONCACAF for what happened post-match last week against Monterrey, with Messi’s bodyguard also banned from entering the playing field.
With the second leg taking place on Wednesday, this news will only add to the tension and the drama of the fixture, one that Inter Miami desperately needs to win.
Indeed, the Champions Cup has been earmarked by the Herons as a competition that Messi and manager Tata Martino are desperate to win this season.
And this series against Monterrey could define how far the Florida franchise actually go in the competition, with a 2-0 win needed tomorrow if Inter Miami are to progress.
Off-the-field drama needs to be contained by the Herons
It’s safe to say things have been chaotic away from the pitch for Inter Miami in regards to their visit to Mexico this week in the Champions Cup.
From this latest update to comments from Monterrey’s coach, preparations have been hardly helpful for Inter Miami in their attempt to overturn their 2-1 deficit.
Which is why the Herons must do all they can to contain this chaos in the next 24 hours, with the right mental state something that could help Inter Miami progress into the semi-finals.