Messi, Inter Miami get special treatment from referees

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are getting special treatment from referees, furious Orlando City coach Oscar Pareja said after his side’s 3-1 defat on Wednesday night.

Messi scored twice, either side of a Josef Martinez penalty that really left Pareja fuming, to propel Miami into the last-16 of the Leagues Cup.

But Orlando did appear to rile the World Cup winner, who got his first yellow card for a needless push on Cesar Araujo and the pair were seen arguing as they walked off the field at halftime.

Messi also shoved him off the ball at a different point and avoided any punishment.

‘There are a couple of plays that are double yellows, with Leo,’ Pareja said. ‘I don’t care if it’s him but it has to be judged just the same as everybody else.

‘Things have to be fair and what happened on the pitch was not like that.

‘They (Inter Miami) have improved their quality, it was a competitive game, but we feel that there were very unfair circumstances of the game that should not have happened.’

Martinez won and scored a penalty in the 50th minute but appeared to fall easily under pressure from Antonio Carlos.

‘Today was a circus,’ Pareja continued. ‘The PK is unbelievable. Unbelievable.

‘It’s a very clear dive and very easy to see, because a few years ago they didn’t have the possibility of having referees to help them (with VAR), but today they didn’t even consider that.

‘The message is not clear, the game didn’t deserve a penalty like that. Those calls have an influence, we are very frustrated.

‘People want to see football and the referee has to be fair. This didn’t happen today.’

As for Messi and Miami, it is now five goals in three games for the Argentina star.

The Leagues Cup campaign continues with a last-16 clash with FC Dallas on Sunday night.