Lionel Messi grabs coach by neck during Inter Miami vs Sporting Kansas City match, fined: Watch video | Mint

Football icon Lionel Messi was fined an undisclosed amount after he grabbed opposing coach by his neck in Inter Miami vs. Sporting Kansas City match on Tuesday.

The Major League Soccer (MLS) fined the football legend with an undisclosed amount for his act. Video of Lionel Messi‘s act in his Inter Miamu vs Sporting Kansas City match has been shared widely on social media.

Lionel Messi grabs coach’s neck during match | Watch

The video footage of Inter Miami forward showed him approaching the coach and grab the back of his neck. His act caused him to pull away from the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner after the 2-2 draw in Miami.

Why was Messi fined in Inter Miami match?

Lionel Messi received a yellow card for a verbal exchange with referee Alexis Da Silva, and he was exiting the pitch following the full-time whistle.

According to AP, the reigning league MVP had some words with New York assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy and covered his mouth as two Miami assistants intervened. Within no seconds, Messi turned back toward Ballouchi and put his right hand on the back of Ballouchy’s neck and squeezed hard enough that it appeared to stun him.

Apart from Lionel Messi, his fellow teammate Luis Suarez was also fined for violating the same “face/head/neck of an opponent policy” during halftime. Suarez had pinched the back of Norwegian defender Birk Risa’s neck.

Superstar Lionel Messi opened the scoring and Inter Miami swept Sporting Kansas City with a 3-1 victory on Tuesday night in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in their CONCACAF Champions Cup opening-round series.

Chicago Fire midfielder Brian Gutiérrez faced suspension for one match and was fined with an undisclosed amount for knocking down Columbus’ Yevhen Cheberko with a high elbow to the head in 4-2 season-opening loss on Saturday. He will miss the home opener against D.C. United on March 1.