 "Miami coach Mascherano sparks controversy with phone call during match vs Tigres UANL as Messi sits out")
Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano sparked a major controversy in the Leagues Cup as he was seen coaching his team from the stands with the help of a phone call to his assistant after being given his marching orders in a match against Mexico’s Tigres UANL on Wednesday.
While Miami won the quarter-final 2-1 against Tigres UANL, thanks to two penalty goals by Luis Suarez in the absence of Lionel Messi, the match has been making headlines for Mascherano’s act.
Mascherano sparks controversy with phone call during Miami game
The former Argentine midfielder Mascherano was shown a red card after holding an argument with the referee as the first half allegedly ended past the allotted time. “We came out for the second half, and Javier was told he had been sent off,” Inter Miami assistant coach Javier Morales said at the post-match press conference.
This, however, did not stop him from coaching his side, as viral videos show that Mascherano kept giving instructions to his assistant coach, Lucas Rodriguez Pagano, through a phone call.
Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano — who is sitting in the stands after a red card — talking on the phone to his assistant coach Lucas Rodriguez Pagano. pic.twitter.com/uCrgXOSgOn
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 21, 2025
Mascherano’s conduct was questioned by the commentators, who felt the Miami coach was taking unfair advantage despite being sent off.
“Tell me one time you’ve seen that,” Apple TV commentator Taylor Twellman asked Jake Zivin during the broadcast. “How’s that any different than him being on the bench?”
“He’s certainly within earshot of everybody,” Zivin said.
As per USA Today, what Mascherano did was perfectly legal as League Cup rule doesn’t prohibit phone communication, and Mascherano was seated in the stands, not the dugout, which he was allowed to do as per tournament regulations.
Nonetheless, it has sparked a major controversy online, and fans are expecting a review of the rule by the Leagues Cup Disciplinary Committee.
Messi missed the Wednesday match as he is recovering from a right hamstring injury, which was aggravated during Miami’s 3-1 win in an MLS season match against LA Galaxy on 16 August. He was at the Chase Stadium to watch the game against Tigres UANL, sitting in the suite, one level above the stands, where Mascherano was seated.
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