Messi picked up his fifth yellow card of the year, but an MLS rule clears him to face New England

His fifth yellow card of the year won't cost him the match. Lionel Messi was booked in the 44th minute of Inter Miami's 2-2 draw with FC Cincinnati on Wednesday at Chase Stadium, yet he'll still be available for Sunday's match against the New England Revolution. The reason comes down to an MLS rule that few fans know about until it affects their own team.

The league applies what it calls a "good behavior" incentive: if a player goes five straight matches without picking up a yellow card, a red card or any other disciplinary sanction, one caution gets automatically wiped from his total. That's exactly what happened with Messi. The Inter Miami captain had been booked in matchdays eight, 11, 20, 31 and 33, but in between those bookings he strung together more than five clean games, so his earlier yellow was forgiven. Worth noting: the card still shows up on his disciplinary record, but it no longer counts toward the total that could trigger a suspension. The league also makes clear this benefit can only be applied a maximum of three times per regular season.

Put another way: Messi technically has five yellows on paper, but in practical terms his count runs differently thanks to that discount. And the timing couldn't be better, because Sunday's match carries a lot more weight than just three points.

A match with plenty on the line

Inter Miami sits third in the Eastern Conference, just two points behind the Revs. Both teams have already clinched their spots in the 2026 MLS playoffs, so Sunday's result won't decide that. What it will largely decide is Miami's ticket into next season's Concacaf Champions Cup.

The qualification path for that competition works like this: spots go to the MLS Cup champion, the Leagues Cup champion, the U.S. Open Cup champion, the Supporters' Shield winner and each conference's playoff champion. Since Nashville has already locked up the Supporters' Shield, the Eastern Conference's second-place finisher also earns a direct berth. With that scenario in play, this second-to-last regular season match becomes crucial for both clubs.

Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano didn't hide his frustration after the draw with Cincinnati and called for an immediate response going forward.

I'm convinced that the frustration we feel, just like after the previous match, has to make us stronger, because we no longer have any margin for error. We have to understand that we're a club that needs to step forward, take risks, be brave and play soccer without fear of making mistakes.Cristian Gonzalez

With Messi cleared to play and the standings this tight, Sunday's match against New England figures to be one of those games where every detail, and every card, matters more than usual.