Lionel Messi has avoided a suspension for yellow card accumulation in Major League Soccer (MLS), despite receiving his fifth yellow card of the season, remaining available for Inter Miami thanks to a specific clause in the league’s regulations.
The match against FC Cincinnati, which ended in a 2-2 draw, reignited discussions surrounding the Argentine superstar’s availability after he picked up another caution, as his side prepares to face New England Revolution on Sunday, November 1.
League rules state that a player receives an automatic one-match suspension upon reaching five accumulated yellow cards. However, MLS also enforces a rule known as the “Good Behavior Incentive,” which allows a player’s accumulation tally to be reduced under specific conditions.
Under this provision, one yellow card is automatically deducted from a player’s accumulation record each time they complete five consecutive matches without receiving a yellow or red card, and without being subject to supplemental disciplinary sanctions.
Messi benefited from this rule twice over the course of the season, according to reports examining his status. As a result, his official accumulation count stands at three yellow cards following the Cincinnati match, despite having physically received five cautions in total.
The Inter Miami captain had previously been booked against Colorado Rapids, Orlando City, Nashville SC, and Atlanta United prior to the Cincinnati fixture. While these cautions remain recorded in his statistical record, they are adjusted according to the rule when calculating suspension thresholds.
The incentive does not provide unlimited relief; players can utilize the deduction a maximum of three times during the regular season, and the accumulation total cannot drop below zero. The reduction is applied immediately upon the completion of the match in which all criteria are met.
