Lionel Messi has been issued a strong warning by a Major League Soccer coach, as the league gears up to welcome the seven-time Ballon D'or winner to Inter Miami.
Following the end of his contract with Paris Saint Germain, Messi has opted to move Stateside, with the World Cup winner agreeing a mega-money deal with the Miami franchise. The MLS has seen a whole host of big name players down the years, including the likes of David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
None are set to be bigger than the Argentine though, who has put himself into the debate for the greatest players of all-time throughout his remarkable career. Messi is of course best known for his mesmerising dribbling, with a foul often the only way to stop the former Barcelona great in his tracks.
As the league prepares for Messi, one unnamed MLS coach has called on the World Cup winner to be protected from the league's referees, calling on him to receive similar treatment to the great Michael Jordan during his stellar NBA career.
The anonymous coach told The Athletic: "He should get the [Michael] Jordan treatment. [He] should get every single call." The 'Jordan treatment' refers to the alleged favourable backing the NBA great received during his time with the Chicago Bulls.
According to former MLS referee Robert Sibiga, there were calls to offer the same treatment to both Beckham and Ibrahimovic when they joined the league, after becoming targets for their opponents. "This is not the level of David Beckham, or Zlatan,” said Sibiga.
“This is a different level. As referees, the last thing you want to be is to be seen screwing up the game or allowing players who have way less talent and experience to do something to a player like Lionel Messi." In 2016 one of Messi's rivals in Luis Felipe accused La Liga officials of taking the same approach to the World Cup winner during his time at Barcelona.
After being sent off for fouling Messi seven years ago, the former Atletico Madrid full-back said: "I admit it was a red card, the referee wasn't wrong. I sought the ball but very aggressively, with a high foot, and Leo was there. It was a fair red.
"I left the pitch, served a ban and that's it. It's a phase of play which happens in every game, but it happened on Messi. He's protected by the Press and by the League. I believe they don't want one of their best players of all time to be injured and not play."
