Lionel Messi suffered yet another disappointing defeat with Inter Miami—this time in the Florida Derby against Orlando City. Amid an ongoing stretch of poor results, the Argentine star broke his silence and took a shot at Major League Soccer over what he sees as serious flaws in the league’s officiating.
Head coach Javier Mascherano opted for a new system, deploying a 5-3-2 formation with Ian Fray and Jordi Alba as wing-backs. Despite Inter Miami dominating much of the first half, Orlando struck first in the 43rd minute, then added two more in the second half to seal a 3–0 win.
Speaking on the pitch after the final whistle, Messi addressed the team’s situation and looked ahead to next month’s international challenge: “The result is bad, but we have to keep working and focus on what’s ahead. We have three or four more games left this month, and we need to finish strong to be ready for the Club World Cup.”
Since the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals against the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 24, Inter Miami has spiraled. In their last seven matches across all competitions, the Herons have lost five, drawn one, and won just once.
The most alarming issue during this stretch hasn’t been their fall to sixth place in the MLS Eastern Conference—it’s been their defense. After starting the season with a strong unbeaten run, Inter Miami has conceded 20 goals in their last seven games, exposing a major weakness just weeks before the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
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Messi slams officiating after controversial Orlando goal
Several Inter Miami players voiced frustration with referee Guido Gonzales Jr. throughout the match, and Messi himself received a yellow card in the 75th minute after sarcastically applauding the referee for not booking an Orlando player following a hard foul. Messi later cited a controversial moment that led to Orlando’s opening goal:
“I think we had a great first half—we were attacking, creating chances, they couldn’t get out and were just clearing the ball. Then came a strange play, where one of their players passed the ball to the goalkeeper, and the referee told me himself that he didn’t know the rule, that it didn’t seem like that to him, that he didn’t understand it. From that play came a long ball and then the goal.”
The play in question occurred when Orlando’s Ivan Angulo passed the ball back to goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, who picked it up with his hands—a move that typically results in an indirect free kick. However, Gonzales Jr. allowed play to continue. Gallese launched the ball forward to Luis Muriel, who scored the opener moments later.
Messi and his teammates protested during and after the game, with the Argentine legend voicing broader concerns about the league’s officiating: “The truth is, sometimes there are specific mistakes, like in the last game. These aren’t excuses, but there’s always something with the referees—certain key plays. I think MLS should take a closer look at the refereeing.”
