Luis Suarez Archives

Luis Suarez suspended for Inter Miami’s MLS playoff match

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez will be suspended for Saturday’s MLS winner-take-all playoff match against Nashville after kicking an opponent in last weekend’s loss to the same team.

The MLS disciplinary committee on Wednesday imposed a one-match ban and fined Suarez an undisclosed amount for violent conduct in the 71st minute of Miami’s 2-1 loss at Nashville.

The 38-year-old Uruguayan striker will sit out a must-win match for Miami when they host Nashville on Saturday in the third match of their best-of-three MLS first-round playoff series.

The ban was issued for Suarez kicking out and striking Nashville defender Andy Najar, who fell to the ground in the penalty area after being hit.

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It was the second suspension of the season for Suarez, who was banned for three MLS games after spitting on a Seattle Sounders official moments after Miami lost in the Leagues Cup final.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi scored three goals and added two assists in the matches Suarez missed.

Inter Miami will likely lean heavily upon the Argentine star and MLS scoring champion again with their season on the line.

Miami will try to avoid a third first-round exit in four years in the MLS playoffs.

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Luis Suarez gets three-match MLS ban for Leagues Cup spitting

Inter Miami star Luis Suarez was issued a three-game suspension by Major League Soccer (MLS) on Monday for a spitting incident after Miami lost the Leagues Cup final to Seattle.

Three days after the Leagues Cup imposed a six-match ban on Suarez for spitting at a Sounders official following a melee after Seattle’s 3-0 victory, MLS issued sanctions for league matches.

The 38-year-old former Uruguay, Liverpool, and Barcelona star will be suspended for Miami regular-season matches on Saturday at Charlotte and at home against Seattle on September 16 and DC United on September 20.

MLS also revoked credential rights for Sounders staffer Steven Lenhart for the remainder of the season and playoffs, keeping him from being on or near the field or locker rooms.

The Sounders were also fined an undisclosed sum for credential misappropriation.

Inter Miami sit sixth in the Eastern Conference on 46 points — 11 behind conference leaders Philadelphia, but have four matches in hand.

The Leagues Cup disciplinary committee said Suarez’s suspension would only apply to next year’s edition of the tournament, which features sides from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.

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The Cup also issued Suarez’s Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets a two-match ban, and Miami’s Tomas Aviles was barred from three Cup matches, while Lenhart was suspended for five Cup games.

In the August 31 Cup final, Suarez rushed at Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and put him in a headlock, igniting a melee involving multiple players and staff from both clubs.

Cameras later caught Suarez spitting at a Seattle staff member as he walked away from Vargas.

Suarez had previously been hit with suspensions for biting and racially abusing opponents in separate incidents earlier in his career.

He apologized for his actions in a statement last Thursday, a day prior to the Cup-imposed punishments.

“It was a moment of great tension and frustration, where right after the match things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify the reaction I had,” Suarez wrote on Instagram.

“I was wrong and I sincerely regret it… I feel bad about what happened, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge it and apologize to everyone who felt hurt by what I did.”

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Luis Suarez apologizes after Leagues Cup spitting incident

Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez, who spat at a Seattle staff member after the Sounders’ Leagues Cup final triumph on Sunday, apologized in a statement on Instagram on Thursday.

“It was a moment of great tension and frustration, where right after the match things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify the reaction I had,” the 38-year-old Uruguayan wrote in an Instagram story.

“I was wrong and I sincerely regret it.”

The Sounders stunned the star-studded Inter side led by eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi 3-0 in the Leagues Cup final at Lumen Field in Seattle.

Immediately after the final whistle, Suarez rushed at 20-year-old Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and put him in a headlock, sparking a melee involving multiple players and staff from both sides.

Officials scrambled to restore order, but cameras later caught Suarez appearing to spit at a Seattle security staff member as he walked away from Vargas.

“I feel bad about what happened, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge it and apologize to everyone who felt hurt by what I did,” Suarez added.

Speculation has swirled as to what punishment he will face for his conduct in the cross-border tournament co-sanctioned by Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga MX.

Luis Suarez spoke optimistically of continuing to help Inter’s push to make the MLS Cup playoffs.

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“We know there’s still a lot of the season ahead, and we’re going to work together to achieve the successes that this club and all of its fans deserve,” he wrote.

Inter Miami posted a statement on X on Thursday condemning the spitting incident involving Suarez.

“These actions do not reflect the values of our sport, and we remain committed to upholding the highest standards of sportsmanship both on and off the pitch.

“We are working closely with Leagues Cup and MLS officials to ensure the situation is addressed appropriately.”

Officials will have plenty to sort through after multiple scuffles broke out, but Suarez’s controversial history places him firmly under scrutiny.

He was infamously kicked out of the 2014 World Cup after being handed a four-month ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini.

He has also been sanctioned for biting incidents in club play, and in 2011, he was handed an eight-game ban by authorities in England for allegedly racially abusing Manchester United’s France star Patrice Evra.

He was also one of the villains of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when his cynical handball on the goal-line denied Ghana what would have been a late winner in the quarter-finals.

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Luis Suarez spits on rival staffer after Leagues Cup final loss

Luis Suarez appeared to spit at a staff member of the opposing team during an ugly brawl following Inter Miami’s 3-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday.

Immediately after the final whistle at Lumen Field, veteran Uruguay striker Suarez rushed at 20-year-old Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas and put him in a headlock, sparking a melee involving multiple players and staff from both sides.

Officials scrambled to restore order, but cameras caught Suarez appearing to spit at a Seattle coach as he walked away from Vargas.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said afterwards he was too far away to comment on any specific incidents.

“Nobody likes these kinds of actions at the end of a match, but if there’s a reaction, maybe there was provocation,” he said.

Certainly, there were multiple scuffles before the trophy ceremony finally got underway, with both teams still in attendance.

Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer took the high road, preferring to focus on the strong collective effort from his team in a victory over a Miami side led by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.

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“Unfortunately, that is going to take some of the attention away from a great performance by the Seattle Sounders,” Schmetzer said of the brawl.

“I guess we can take that as a compliment that Miami’s frustrations led to some things happening on the field that shouldn’t happen on the field.

“I’m going to shut that down because that shouldn’t be the story,” said Schmetzer, who added he had a “quiet moment” with Messi on the field after the game.

But Suarez will be under scrutiny for his role.

The 38-year-old’s reputation as one of the game’s arch villains was cemented when he bit Giorgio Chiellini during the 2014 World Cup.

He has also been sanctioned for biting incidents and racist abuse of an opposing player in club play.

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Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez score twice as Inter Miami edge past Montreal

Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez each scored two goals to spark Inter Miami to a 4-2 Major League Soccer (MLS) victory over visiting Montreal on Wednesday.

Argentine superstar Messi opened the scoring in the 27th minute and assisted on Suarez’s first goal in the 68th minute for a 2-0 edge.

Uruguayan star Suarez scored again in the 71st minute before Montreal’s Dante Sealy answered in the 74th minute.

Lionel Messi struck again in the 87th minute before Victor Loturi pulled one back from the Canadian club two minutes into stoppage time.

Miami jumped to sixth in the Eastern Conference with seven wins and five draws from 15 matches, while East doormat Montreal slid to 1-10 with five draws.

Inter Miami had lost twice and drawn twice in the past four matches.

“We had to take responsibility for the poor results. It’s a matter of correcting to regain confidence,” said Suarez, who added the victory “means a lot … We have to continue to gain confidence in this kind of game.”

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Inter coach Javier Mascherano was concerned about injuries to defenders Gonzalo Lujan, Tomas Aviles and Jordi Alba.

“We needed to cut the negative dynamic. I’m happy,” he said. “Unfortunately, the victory is tarnished by the departure of Gonzalo, Jordi and Toto.”

“In the case of Gonzalo and Jordi, it was something muscular, which tomorrow we will see how far it is. In the case of ‘Toto’, it was the ankle that swelled in a stomp. Maybe he could continue. He wanted to continue.”

Overall league leader Philadelphia won 2-1 at Toronto as the Union rallied late after Norway’s Ola Brynhildsen scored in the 75th minute.

Nathan Harriel netted the equaliser for the Union in the 86th minute, and Germany’s Kai Wagner scored the game winner two minutes into stoppage time.

The Union improved to 10-3-3 for a league-high 33 points while none of the three clubs just behind them on the table could manage full points, second-place Cincinnati drawing 3-3 with visiting Dallas and third-place Nashville drawing 2-2 at fourth-place Columbus.

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Uruguay star Luis Suarez announces retirement from international football

Uruguay icon Luis Suarez announced his retirement from international football on Monday, confirming that he will hang up his boots following Friday’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Paraguay in Montevideo.

“Friday will be my last match for my country,” an emotional Suarez, 37, told a press conference.

“It was not an easy decision to make, but I do it with the peace of mind that I will give my maximum until the very last game of my (Uruguay) career.”

The former Barcelona and Liverpool striker is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation and will retire from international football as Uruguay’s top scorer with 69 goals from 142 appearances.

Suarez, who was infamously kicked out of the 2014 World Cup after being handed a four-month ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, made his debut for Uruguay in 2007.

The Inter Miami forward helped Uruguay capture the 2011 Copa America, where he was named player of the tournament, and would eventually represent the South American country in nine major tournaments.

Suarez said Monday that inspiring Uruguay to that Copa crown had been the high point of his career.

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“I wouldn’t trade the Copa America title for anything,” he said. “It was the best moment of my career. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

A dynamic, skilful attacker with a lethal eye for goal, Suarez was also never far from controversy.

As well as the biting incident that ended his involvement in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he was also one of the villains of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when his cynical handball on the goal-line denied Ghana what would have been a late winner in the quarter-finals.

Luis Suarez was sent off for that offence and Ghana subsequently missed the ensuing penalty, allowing Uruguay to sneak into the semi-finals after a penalty shoot-out.

Controversy also dogged Suarez throughout his club career, notably in 2011 when he was handed an eight-game ban by authorities in England for allegedly racially abusing Manchester United’s France star Patrice Evra.

Suarez would later help Uruguay qualify for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, and also featured in this summer’s Copa America where he was used largely as a substitute by coach Marcelo Bielsa. He scored his 69th international goal in a third place play-off victory over Canada.

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Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi help Inter Miami crush New York Red Bulls

Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick and Lionel Messi had an incredible five assists and a goal in the second half as a rampant Inter Miami crushed the New York Red Bulls 6-2 in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

Two-goal substitute Matias Rojas sparked the second-half rout from Eastern Conference leaders Inter after New York had led 1-0 at the break.

Without Lionel Messi, Inter Miami had fallen to a 4-0 defeat to the Red Bulls in New York in March, but they more than avenged that loss with a merciless second-half demolition job.

Messi’s five assists, which all came in the second half, are a new record for an MLS game and he now has 10 goals and 12 assists in eight league appearances so far this season.

Operating behind Luis Suarez, Messi’s passing through the slightest of gaps, taking advantage of his former Barcelona teammate’s telepathic understanding of his intentions, was simply too much for the Red Bulls, who came into the game third in the East.

“Obviously what we have seen today surprises people, because you don’t see that in football,” said Suarez of Messi’s five assists.

“But as a teammate and someone who knows him, nothing surprises me about him,” added the Uruguayan.

The 37-year-old Suarez’s triples take his own tally to 10 in 11 league games for Miami and despite no longer being blessed with pace, his deadly finishing clearly remains intact.

While it was the kind of attacking display that Miami owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham surely dreamed of when they brought in the star pairing, there was no sign of the explosiveness in the opening half.

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Dante Vanzeir had put the Red Bulls ahead in the 30th minute, slotting home after Wikelman Carmona’s shot came out off the post, following a superb through pass from Swedish playmaker Emil Forsberg.

Gerardo Martino’s Inter lacked intensity and ideas in the opening 45 minutes but the coach’s half-time change transformed the game.

Paraguayan Rojas was introduced for the second half and took just three minutes to make an impact, collecting a pass from Messi and evading two defenders before unleashing an unstoppable drive from 25 yards out.

Messi then put Miami in front when Rojas robbed Carmona and found Suarez, who slipped the ball to the Argentine, who made no mistake.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner then turned provider again as he split the New York defence with a brilliant through ball to Rojas, who deftly chipped over the advancing Carlos Coronel.

Suarez’s hat trick then came in the space of 12 minutes — he first found the target when Messi chipped in a ball from the right and the Uruguayan hooked home a volley.

It was playground stuff minutes later when Suarez played a one-two with Messi and then poked home to make it 5-1.

Messi was yet again the creator for Miami’s sixth, which Suarez turned in from close range from the tightest of angles.

New York had a late consolation in the final seconds with a penalty from Forsberg.

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Luis Suarez on target as Inter Miami draw with New York City FC

Luis Suarez bagged his fifth goal of the season as Inter Miami were held to a 1-1 draw against New York City FC in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday.

Former Barcelona and Liverpool star Suarez glanced in a Julian Gressel free kick in the 15th minute to fire Miami into the lead at the Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

But Miami’s hopes of securing all three points were thwarted by a dogged New York performance, which got its reward when Costa Rica international Alonso Martinez equalised on 34 minutes.

Miami, thrashed 4-0 against New York Red Bulls in their last outing, created a string of clear chances after the City leveller but were frustrated by a superb performance from goalkeeper Matthew Freese.

Freese pulled off several fine saves, including a brilliant one-handed block from Suarez in the 80th minute as Miami pressed for an equaliser.

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Miami, once again without the injured Lionel Messi, remained in second place in the Eastern Conference following the draw, one point behind leaders Cincinnati.

Miami coach Gerardo Martino — who had lambasted his team after last week’s drubbing by the New York Red Bulls — praised his side’s performance.

“In nine months here, I’ve never been disappointed in a game like I was last Saturday,” Martino said. “Today, what the team did was very commendable. They played well and created many scoring chances.”

Martino, meanwhile, said Messi’s fitness was still being evaluated as Miami prepares for Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final first-leg game with Mexican side Monterrey. Messi has not played since suffering a strained hamstring two weeks ago.

“We will evaluate it day by day and make a decision on Tuesday,” Martino said. “Wednesday’s game is very important but we have to think about the entire year, not just one game.”

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Luis Suarez comes off bench for brace as Inter Miami beat DC United without Lionel Messi

WASHINGTON: Luis Suarez came off the bench and scored twice as Inter Miami, without the injured Lionel Messi, won 3-1 at D.C. United at Audi Field in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday.

Suarez continued his prolific start to life in MLS with his sixth goal in seven games in all competitions for the South Florida club.

Miami had failed to win their last seven games without Lionel Messi, a run dating to September, but despite that record, coach Gerardo Martino left Suarez and Jordi Alba on the bench.

Jared Stroud put for D.C. United ahead, latching onto a Mateusz Kilch pass and firing a first-time shot past Drake Callender.

The lead lasted only for 10 minutes, however, with Leonardo Campana leading the Inter Miami attack in place of Suarez, seeing a header saved by Alex Bono but then, after D.C. failed to clear, turning in after the ball was scooped to him by Federico Redondo.

Busquets delivered a superb cross-field pass to set Robert Taylor in down the left but his low drive clipped the outside of the post on the stroke of half-time.

Uruguayan Suarez was brought on in the 62nd minute and the 37-year-old was to settle the contest.

Just 10 minutes after coming on Suarez finished off a fine move, turning in a low cross from Campana at the back post.

Then Diego Gomez, Miami’s powerful Paraguayan midfielder, won the ball in the centre of the field and broke forward, finding Suarez, whose route to goal was initially blocked.

But Suarez was able to find space for a chip that Bono clawed at but was unable to stop crossing the line.

D.C United had Pedro Santos sent off after he brought down substitute Shanyder Borgelin in the final minute.

Martino said Suarez’s performance had gone perfectly according to his plan.

Martino said Messi’s rear leg injury was being dealt with “week to week” and he refused to be drawn on his potential involvement in Argentina’s upcoming friendlies.

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Inter Miami will play Mexican club Monterrey in the regional competition on April 3.

At Chicago, Kellyn Acosta scored a remarkable wind-assisted stoppage time winner from inside his own half as the home side defeated Montreal 4-3.

The Canadian side led 3-2 at the end of normal time but Belgian Hugo Cuypers poked in an equalizer for the Fire in the fifth minute of added time.

Then, in the last of nine minutes of stoppage time, Acosta got possession just inside his own half and launched a long ball towards the box which caught a freakish, strong gust of wind and sailed over stranded Montreal keeper Jonathan Sirois.

Defending champions Columbus Crew continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 3-0 win over the New York Red Bulls with goals from Colombian Cucho Hernandez, Jacen Russell-Rowe and Aiden Morris.

Los Angeles FC, the 2022 MLS champions, are without a win since the opening day of the season after falling 2-0 to improving Minnesota United.

New Minnesota manager Eric Ramsay enjoyed the perfect debut after joining the club from Manchester United as goals from Robin Lod and South African Bongokuhle Hlongwane secured the win.

Minnesota are unbeaten so far this season with three wins and a draw from their opening four games.

Phil Neville’s positive start to his new role as head coach of the Portland Timbers ended with a 1-0 loss at the Houston Dynamo.

After losing the first three games, New York City FC bounced back by inflicting the season’s first defeat on John Herdman’s Toronto FC 2-1, despite having Keaton Parks sent off in the 68th minute.

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Messi, Suarez fire Inter Miami into CONCACAF quarters

Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi were on target as Inter Miami marched into the last eight of the CONCACAF Champions Cup with a 3-1 (5-3 aggregate) win over Nashville on Wednesday.

Messi set up Suarez for the eighth-minute opener and then the Argentine found the target himself in the 23rd minute.

But the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner was substituted in the 50th minute before his replacement Robert Taylor made sure of the victory with a 63rd-minute header.

Inter Miami coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino said Messi’s withdrawal, when he did not appear to limp or be in discomfort, was due to a concern about his hamstring.

“He has an overload in his right hamstring. So we didn’t want to take any risks. We tried to see if he could hold on a bit longer but it was bothering him and we preferred to take him out of the game,” he said.

“I imagine that for Saturday’s game (at D.C. United) he is not going to be available,” said Martino.

Inter Miami, playing in the competition for the first time, will face the winner of Thursday’s second leg between Mexico’s Monterrey and MLS’s FC Cincinnati in the quarter-finals.

The Liga MX team are at home and leads 1-0 from the first leg.

The first leg in Tennessee had seen Nashville take a two-goal lead before goals from Messi and Suarez inspired a comeback for a 2-2 draw.

And it was the former Barcelona pair that proved to be the difference again as Miami took control from the outset.

Messi had an early opportunity when he was brought down on the edge of the box, providing him with a free-kick from a central position but his shot struck the wall.

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But minutes later, Messi created the opener, splitting the Nashville defence with a perfect pass to Suarez whose exquisite finish, with the outside of his right foot, matched the precision of the assist.

While the veteran quartet of Barcelona players in the Miami team, also including Spaniards Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, grab the attention, the young midfield workhouse Diego Gomez has become increasingly influential.

It was the Paraguayan’s aggressive running that created the second goal, in the 23rd minute, when Gomez drove aggressively into the box and then smartly slipped inside to Messi who buried the ball, first time, into the corner.

It was Messi’s fifth goal in five games in all competitions this season. Suarez has scored four in six games.

Nashville had created little but they offered a wake-up call to Miami keeper Drake Callender when Daniel Lovitz blasted a left-foot volley against the post.

Miami coach Gerardo Martino brought Messi off for Taylor five minutes after the interval, with no visible sign of an injury for the Argentine.

The departure of the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner gave Nashville a lift and they began to attack with real intent. Callender had to pull off a fine save at point-blank range to deny Lukas MacNaughton.

But any hint of a Nashville comeback was snuffed out when Suarez turned provider with a delightful chip into the box towards Taylor who angled home his header to make it 3-0

Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar had an effort disallowed for offside before English striker Sam Surridge added a late consolation.

Earlier Costa Rica’s Herediano secured passage to the last eight with a 1-1 draw at Surinam’s Robinhood enough to give them a 3-1 aggregate win.

Wednesday’s later game is an all-Mexican clash with Club America defending a 3-0 first-leg advantage at home to Chivas Guadalajara.

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