Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas has expressed his concern regarding Lionel Messi's reaction to a one-match suspension imposed by Major League Soccer (MLS) for missing the All-Star Game. Mas revealed that Messi is "extremely upset" about the situation and hopes it won't have a long-term impact on his perception of the league and its rules.

The suspension stems from Messi and his teammate Jordi Alba's absence from the MLS All-Star Game against Liga MX. MLS rules stipulate that any player who does not participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club's next match. Consequently, Messi and Alba will miss Inter Miami's crucial home game against FC Cincinnati.

Mas didn't hold back his criticism of the MLS policy, calling the punishment "draconian". He argued that it forces players to choose between an exhibition match and a regular season match and that the decision to sit out the All-Star Game was made by the club, keeping the players' fitness in mind ahead of the rest of the MLS season. He also pointed out that the ones who get penalized by the suspensions are the club, the fans, sponsors, TV, and Apple.

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano stated that Messi was suffering from fatigue, while Alba was recovering from a knock from the team's previous match. Mas added that their omission from the MLS squad was a club decision because "they were coming off a run of nine games in 35 days". MLS Commissioner Don Garber acknowledged Messi's heavy workload, stating that he had played nine matches in 30 days, and Miami's schedule was unlike any other team's.

Despite the enforcement of the suspension, Garber expressed his support for Messi, stating that "nobody has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi". He also indicated that the league would reconsider the policy for future All-Star Games. Mas echoed this sentiment, saying he thinks the rule is going to change.

The suspension has sparked debate among experts and fans, with many arguing that it penalizes the team that has done the most to boost the league's visibility in recent months. Since Messi's arrival, MLS has experienced unprecedented growth, with his debut generating over 300,000 new MLS Season Pass subscribers on Apple TV, and overall attendance reaching a record-breaking 11.4 million fans during the 2023–2024 season.

Mas expressed concern that the suspension could impact Messi's ongoing contract negotiations with Inter Miami, as his current deal expires at the end of 2025. He acknowledged that it would "absolutely" have an impact on the players' perception of how the league rules work.