Mascherano Critiques Suárez’s Suspension Ahead of Playoff Decider

Inter Miami’s head coach, Javier Mascherano, described the decision to suspend Luis Suárez for their final game in the first round of the MLS playoff series against Nashville as “very strange.”

Suárez received a one-game ban for kicking Nashville’s Andy Nájar in the second half of their match on November 1 at Geodis Park, where Inter Miami was defeated 2-1. Notably, during the game, the referee did not issue a yellow or red card for the incident.

The MLS confirmed on Friday that Nashville had submitted the foul for review, a right all MLS teams maintain for one unsuccessful challenge during the postseason. Nashville’s submission was successful, allowing them to retain their challenge rights.

Mascherano stated that while the club respects the disciplinary committee’s ruling, they do not concur with it. “In my personal opinion, it seemed very strange because this play was reviewed by VAR in real time, and no sanction was suggested by either the referee or the VAR official,” he explained.

“However, the MLS rules are defined as such. We accept the decision, as the club has indicated. We may not agree, but we respect it. We hope that such regulations are applied consistently across all situations.”

The coach later disclosed that Suárez’s appeal against the suspension had been denied. “I received a call on Monday night from the club informing me about the sanction, and they would determine the specific penalty shortly after. The response came relatively quickly, as things tend to progress swiftly here in the United States,” he noted.

“Yes, there was an appeal. The player used the club’s resources for the appeal since we were told the club could not appeal directly, but unfortunately, it was denied within a couple of hours.”

Mascherano mentioned that Suárez was “very surprised” by the outcome, citing that such incidents occur in games frequently. “If we were to endlessly dwell on these situations, there would be numerous examples, but it is what it is,” he remarked.

As the team prepares to host Nashville in the decisive third game on Saturday at Chase Stadium, they will do so without Suárez, a crucial player according to Mascherano. The winner of this match will advance to the Eastern Conference semifinal.

A victory for Inter Miami could mark a historic milestone, enabling them to progress past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since their inception as an MLS expansion franchise in 2020.

“He is undoubtedly an important player and a key figure for the team, but focusing on our reactions to this situation is not particularly beneficial,” Mascherano stated.

“We cannot control that aspect, but we can control our preparation for the match and aim for a victory that will secure our qualification.”

Inter Miami previously won the first game of the series 3-1 before losing 2-1 to Nashville, leading to a decisive third game.