Luis Suárez has been suspended for six matches in the Leagues Cup after spitting at a Seattle Sounders staff member during a post-match altercation in the tournament final.
The incident occurred on 5 September, when Seattle defeated Inter Miami 3-0 to lift the trophy. Tempers flared at the final whistle, with Suárez spitting during the scuffle and Miami midfielder Sergio Busquets appearing to throw a punch.
Alongside Suárez’s sanction, Busquets was banned for two matches and Miami defender Tomás Avilés for three. Sounders assistant coach Steven Lenhart also received a five-game suspension for violent conduct.
The punishments apply only to future editions of the Leagues Cup, the mid-season competition featuring clubs from Major League Soccer and Liga MX. However, organisers stressed that MLS “reserves the right to impose further disciplinary actions on the players and coaching staff involved.” Inter Miami are due to face the Sounders again in league play on 16 September, though it remains unclear whether domestic sanctions will follow.
Suárez, 38, apologised on social media on 4 September, admitting frustration had got the better of him.
“It was a moment of much tension and frustration, where just after the game ended things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify my reaction,” he wrote. “I made a mistake and sincerely apologise. It’s not the image I want to give in front of my family or my club.”
The Uruguayan striker, who previously starred for Liverpool and Barcelona, has a long history of disciplinary issues, including three bans for biting opponents and another for racial abuse, which he denied.
Despite the controversy, Suárez has been productive for Miami this season, scoring six goals and providing 10 assists in 22 MLS matches. He also registered three goals and three assists in six Leagues Cup appearances.