Inter Miami Post-Red Card Phone Coaching May Have Been Legal

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano received a red card in his team’s Leagues Cup win Wednesday night.

But instead of exiting to the locker room, Mascherano took a seat in the VIP section and hopped on the phone. On the broadcast, Mascherano was shown speaking emphatically on the call, using his hands to point and gesture at the field. 

The feed then cut to Inter Miami assistant Lucas Rodriguez Pagano, who was holding a phone, speaking, and nodding.

“The Inter Miami head coach was located in a space designated according to tournament regulations,” a Leagues Cup spokesperson told Front Office Sports. “Cellphone communications are not prohibited per Leagues Cup regulations in this instance.”

Still, it’s against tournament rules for a coach to influence a match or give instructions after a red card. When asked about if Mascherano will face any further repercussions for influencing the match after his red card, the Leagues Cup spokesperson said: “The Disciplinary Committee is reviewing the situation today, and we’ll await their decision before commenting further.”

Regardless, Mascherano will be suspended for Inter Miami’s semifinal match because of the red card, which came after he complained about too much stoppage time at the end of the first half.

The Leagues Cup is the annual summer competition between MLS and Liga MX. The final match is scheduled for Aug. 31.

Following the 2–1 win over Tigres UANL, Inter Miami will face Orlando City next Wednesday. Inter Miami previously won the Leagues Cup in 2023. Star player Lionel Messi sat out Wednesday night’s game with a “minor” muscle injury.