Lionel Messi and Inter Miami teammate Jordi Alba have been suspended after the duo skipped Major League Soccer's All-Star Game earlier this week, the league said on Friday.
MLS said in a statement Messi and Alba would be unavailable for Saturday's clash against FC Cincinnati "due to their absence" at this week's All-Star showpiece.
"Per league rules, 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," the league said in a brief statement.
Messi and Alba had both been selected to play for a combined MLS side in Wednesday's game against a team drawn from Mexico's Liga-MX as part of the league's All-Star break.
However, both players withdrew from the showpiece early Wednesday for reasons that were not revealed.
The 11th-hour snub left Messi and Alba both facing sanction. Under MLS rules, players selected for the All-Star game must participate unless they have a valid reason – such as an injury – not to do so.
MLS commissioner Don Garber said Friday the league had been left with no choice but to suspend players from duty this weekend, describing the ruling as a "very difficult decision".
"I know Lionel Messi loves this league," Garber said. "I don't think there's a player – or anyone – who has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi. I fully understand, respect, and admire his commitment to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision.
"Unfortunately, we have a long-standing policy regarding participation in the All-Star Game, and we had to enforce it. It was a very difficult decision."
Garber, however, said MLS would review its existing policy in future.
"We're going to take a hard look at the policy moving forward," he said. "I'm committed to working with our players to determine how the rule should evolve."
MESSI 'VERY UPSET'
Inter Miami's billionaire co-owner Jorge Mas blasted the decision to suspend Messi and Alba in a conference call with reporters later Friday, describing Messi as "very upset" by the league's ruling.
"Leo Messi is very upset. I hope it doesn't have a long-term impact," said Mas, who is currently in talks with Messi about a possible extension to his current contract, which runs out at the end of this year.
"Will it have an impact on (Messi's) perception of the league and it's rules? Without a doubt," Mas added. "Lionel is different from everyone else. He wants to participate in competitive matches."
Speaking on Wednesday, Garber said the league should have known earlier about the no-show, but expressed some sympathy for the gruelling schedule faced by Messi in recent weeks.
The 38-year-old Argentinian superstar has played nine games in 35 days and played 90 minutes in each game, including four games in the Fifa Club World Cup.
"Miami has had a schedule that is unlike any other team," Garber said. "Most of our teams had a 10-day break. Miami hasn't. So we have to manage through that as a league."
Messi and Alba's participation in the game had been under a cloud after Miami coach Javier Mascherano indicated last weekend he would have preferred the duo to be excused from All-Star duties.
"The players are called up. I'd prefer they rest, but it's not my decision," Mascherano said.