Inter Miami striker Luis Suárez has been hit with a lengthy suspension after being found guilty of spitting on Seattle Sounders assistant coach Steven Lenhart during a heated altercation in the Leagues Cup final.
The 38-year-old Uruguayan, whose glittering career has often been overshadowed by controversy, was initially banned for six matches by the competition’s Disciplinary Committee. That suspension covers the entire 2026 edition of the Leagues Cup, given that the offence occurred during this year’s final, which Miami lost 3-0 to the Sounders.
Major League Soccer has since extended the punishment, ruling Suárez out of Inter Miami’s next three regular-season fixtures. One of those games will see Miami host Seattle, intensifying the spotlight on the incident.
The post-match fracas, which involved players and staff from both sides, also saw veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets caught on camera throwing a light punch at an opponent. Meanwhile, Lenhart himself has faced repercussions: his accreditation has been revoked, barring him from entering restricted stadium zones for the rest of the 2025 season.
In the wake of the sanctions, Suárez issued a public apology on Instagram, expressing remorse for his actions.
“It was a very tense and frustrating moment, and things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify my reaction. I was wrong, and I sincerely regret it,” Suárez wrote. “That’s not the image I want to project, neither in front of my family, who are suffering because of my mistakes, nor in front of my club, which doesn’t deserve to be affected.”
The incident has reignited debate over Suárez’s temperament, with critics noting that despite years of relatively controversy-free play, his latest misconduct threatens to overshadow his final years in football.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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