Mascherano Criticizes Suárez’s Suspension Ahead of Crucial Playoff Match

Inter Miami’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, addressed the recent suspension of Luis Suárez in a press conference on Friday, deeming the decision to ban him for the final game in the Round 1 MLS playoff series against Nashville as “very strange.”

Suárez received a one-match ban for an incident involving Nashville’s Andy Nájar during the second half of their match on November 1 at Geodis Park, in which Inter Miami lost 2-1. Notably, the referee did not issue any card at the time of the incident.

The Major League Soccer (MLS) confirmed on Friday that Nashville had submitted the foul for review. Each MLS team is permitted one unsuccessful challenge during the postseason, and Nashville maintains the right to challenge due to the successful submission of their initial complaint.

Mascherano reiterated the club’s respect for the disciplinary committee’s ruling, although he expressed disagreement with it.

“In my personal opinion, it seemed very strange, very strange because it’s a play that was reviewed by VAR in real time, and it didn’t suggest any sanction from either the referee or the VAR official,” Mascherano stated.

“However, the MLS rules are in place. As a club, we accept the decision, even if we don’t agree. We simply hope that the regulations are consistently applied across the board.”

The coach later disclosed that Suárez’s appeal against the decision was denied.

“I received a call, I believe it was on Monday night. The club informed me of the sanction and indicated they would clarify the specific penalty in the following days. It was quick; in the United States, things move fast,” he explained.

“Yes, there was an appeal. The player appealed because we were told the club couldn’t do so. Therefore, the player utilized the club’s resources to file the appeal, but nothing materialized. The appeal was denied within a couple of hours.”

Mascherano added, “[Suárez] is surprised, very surprised. He is astonished because such incidents occur in games. If we were to dwell on all such situations, there would be countless examples. However, it is what it is.”

As the team prepares to host Nashville for the decisive third game on Saturday at Chase Stadium, they will do so without Suárez, whom Mascherano referred to as a “key” player on the roster.

The winner of Saturday’s match will advance to the Eastern Conference semifinal. With a victory, Inter Miami could make history by surpassing the first round of the playoffs for the first time since they joined MLS as an expansion franchise in 2020.

“He is obviously an important player for the team, one of our key figures, but it’s not beneficial to dwell on how we react to this situation or what is going to happen,” Mascherano remarked.

“We cannot control that. What we can control is our preparation for the match to ensure we are well-equipped to secure a victory that will guarantee our qualification,” he concluded.

Inter Miami previously won the first game of the series 3-1, but lost 2-1 to Nashville, necessitating this third and final match.