Inter Miami hosted FC Cincinnati for a Major League Soccer fixture at Nu Stadium in Miami, where a first-half booking of Argentine star Lionel Messi drew immediate backlash from broadcasters and fans alike.
The flashpoint occurred around the 42nd minute of the October 28 match. Messi controlled the ball and advanced toward the visiting penalty area, preparing to take a shot. Samuel Gidi, a 22-year-old Slovakian defender for Cincinnati, moved in to block the attempt, leading to a physical tussle and a collision that left the defender on the turf.
Following the challenge, Messi approached the referee and was promptly shown a yellow card. The forward appeared visibly surprised by the sanction, offering a brief nod before walking away.
Broadcasters covering the game on Apple TV’s Spanish-language MLS feed questioned the decision during the live broadcast, asserting that the run-of-play incident did not merit a yellow card. The caution also triggered an immediate wave of disapproval across social media platform X, where supporters characterized the booking as unwarranted and questioned the officiating.
American referee Armando Villarreal officiated the fixture. Villarreal has served as an MLS referee since 2012, joined the FIFA International Referees List in 2015, and previously worked as a video assistant referee during the FIFA World Cup.
The officiating crew for the match included David Barrie leading the video assistant referee team, alongside first assistant referee Ian McKay and second assistant referee Stefan Tanaka-Freundt.
