Lionel Messi’s bodyguard Yassine Chueko has been banned from entering the playing field at Monterrey on Wednesday for Inter Miami’s CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter-final following a tense altercation.
Inter Miami heads into Wednesday’s game against the Mexican 2-1 down following a defeat on home soil – a game in which Messi did not feature but that didn’t stop the World Cup-winning Argentine from getting involved in an ugly situation.
Messi had a heated exchange with Monterrey assistant coach Nico Sanchez after Inter Miami voiced its displeasure with the match officials, who showed the MLS side six yellow cards and a red.Β Sanchez branded Messi a “possessed dwarf”Β who has βthe face of the devilβ in leaked audio after he allegedly “put his fist” next to the rival coach’s face.
Sanchez has since apologised for his comments aimed at Messi and Inter Miami’s head coach Tata Martino, but it hasn’t tempered tensions heading into Wednesday’s second leg, which the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will play in.