Luis Suarez is back in the spotlight for the wrong reasons after Inter Miami’s 3-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final on Sunday.
At the final whistle in Seattle’s Lumen Field, the 38-year-old Uruguay striker rushed at 20-year-old Obed Vargas, putting the Sounders midfielder in a headlock. The clash quickly escalated into a full-scale brawl involving players and staff from both sides.
As officials scrambled to restore order, cameras appeared to catch Suarez spitting toward a Seattle coach while walking away from Vargas.
Inter Miami boss Javier Mascherano distanced himself from specifics. “Nobody likes these kinds of actions at the end of a match, but if there’s a reaction, maybe there was provocation,” he said.
Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer struck a calmer note, praising his players instead of dwelling on the melee. “Unfortunately that is going to take some of the attention away from a great performance by the Seattle Sounders,” he said. “I guess we can take that as a compliment that Miami’s frustrations led to some things happening on the field that shouldn’t happen on the field. I’m going to shut that down because that shouldn’t be the story.”
The unsavoury incident overshadowed a strong Sounders performance against a Miami side led by Lionel Messi. Suarez, however, will face renewed scrutiny. His reputation as one of football’s great villains stems from past controversies, including biting Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup, previous biting incidents in club play, and a suspension for racially abusing an opponent.
Published on Sep 01, 2025
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com