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Inter Miami Striker'Louis Suarez (38) is at the center of the controversy this time over his punishment for spitting.
On August 31, the incident occurred shortly after Seattle beat Inter Miami 3-0 to lift the trophy. After the whistle at the end of the game, the players of both teams tangled up, and Suarez grabbed Seattle midfielder Obed Vargas by the neck. The situation worsened when fellow Sergio Busquets hit Vargas with his chin. Moments later, Suarez collided with Seattle security chief Jean Ramirez and spat in Ramirez's face through goalkeeper Oscar Oostari's restraint, which was stopping him.
Suarez, who played as a world-class striker for Liverpool and Barcelona, issued an apology statement on social media shortly after the incident, bowing his head `regretting his modest actions' but failed to avoid disciplinary action.
The League Cup organizing committee officially announced the disciplinary decision less than 24 hours after Inter Miami and Suarez issued an official statement and apologized.`We will suspend and fine some players and coaches for this matter' and impose a six-game suspension on Suarez, a three-game suspension on Thomas Aviles, who was seen swinging his fist, and a two-game suspension on Sergio Busquets, whose contract expires after the end of the 2025 season. Seattle Sounders head coach Steven Renhart was suspended for five games, but no Seattle players were suspended. A fine was also imposed on all those involved.
Suarez is continuing his 'career of gossip', which had been quiet for a while due to saliva spitting. Suarez was suspended for eight games against United's Patrice Evra in 2011 when he was in Liverpool and was severely punished for the Ajax, Liverpool and Uruguay national teams three times for the 'Biting Opponents'.
However, the disciplinary action was taken at the level of the League Cup and does not directly affect the 2025 MLS regular league and MLS Cup playoffs. However, if the MLS secretariat imposes additional disciplinary action on its own, it is likely to affect the rest of the season. In fact, MLS has taken additional disciplinary action in similar cases in the past. In 2024, Christian Arango (Real Salt Lake) was suspended from league games for violating MLS's 'no bullying policy, and in 2019, then RSL coach Mike Petke was suspended for three games after making a rough protest against the referee at the League Cup, but MLS expanded it and imposed additional penalties and fines.
Meanwhile, Inter Miami, which has nine games left in the regular league, will face Seattle at Fort Lauderdale Chase Stadium in Florida on the 16th.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
