No Suarez as Inter Miami, Messi tries to avoid play-off exit against Nashville SC

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals without the help of suspended striker Luis Suarez when the Herons host the deciding match of their first-round playoff series against Nashville SC on Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The league suspended Suarez for one game for his kickout against Nashville defenseman Andy Najar during Nashville’s 2-1 win over Miami in Game 2 last weekend. The decision came despite an in-match replay review by match officials, who ruled in real time that the incident did not merit a red card.

“Inter Miami CF accepts and respects the decision of the MLS Disciplinary Committee,” a club statement said. “At the same time, the club would like to express its concern at the precedent set by re-referencing a game that had already been reviewed by match officials and VAR, and its confidence that the same standard will be applied in the future to all situations on the pitch, in every match and involving every team.”

Miami coach Javier Mascherano called the league’s decision «very strange» and said Suarez appealed the ban but was quickly denied.

“(Suarez) is surprised, very surprised,” Mascherano said. «Very surprised because these things happen in a game. If we were to dwell endlessly on these types of situations, there are quite a few, but it is what it is.»

READ ALSO | Luis Suarez suspended for the play-off match between Inter Miami and Nashville

Suarez’s future in Miami beyond this season remains unclear. Meanwhile, Messi has committed to three more seasons in South Florida after winning the 2025 MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals in 28 appearances.

Messi and third-seeded Miami are trying to avoid a second consecutive first-round exit after dropping last year’s series in three games to Atlanta United.

Nashville enters Saturday knowing that a loss in Miami would be viewed as catastrophic after the Herons again topped all MLS payrolls by a significant margin in 2025, while a loss to the Coyotes would be viewed as expected.

And Nashville has achieved a lot in its own right this season, with Sam Surridge finishing tied for second in the Golden Boot with 24 goals, and the Coyotes already winning the 2025 US Open Cup.

“I think there’s a lot of pressure on Miami to be successful with the amount of money they’ve spent to bring in players,” Nashville goalie Joe Willis said. «And I think the eyes are always on them, and we’re kind of an afterthought in this series. And we know that, and we take that personally.»

Published on November 8, 2025