Luis Suarez is at the center of fresh controversy after he was caught on video spitting at a Seattle Sounders coach after Inter Miami’s loss in the Leagues Cup final.
The striker’s infamous temper boiled over after his team’s 3-0 defeat in the final on Sunday night – with the wild scenes overshadowing the Sounders’ historic win.
Footage showed Suarez confronting a Sounders staff member near the middle of the pitch as tensions flared between both sides after the final whistle.
The 38-year-old got in the coach’s face before appearing to spit at him, seemingly hitting him on the face as Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari tried to intervene.
Moments earlier, players from both teams were seen grabbing each other by the neck and swinging punches as tempers erupted after the full-time whistle.
Former Liverpool and Barcelona striker Suarez has a past littered with controversy on the pitch, including multiple incidents that made global headlines.
Luis Suarez was caught on video spitting at a Seattle Sounders coach after Inter Miami’s loss
Suarez confronted the Sounders coach as a brawl erupted on the field at the full-time whistle
He was banned for eight matches and fined by the English FA in 2011 for making racist remarks toward Manchester United’s Patrice Evra.
Suarez later refused to shake Evra’s hand in a highly charged Premier League meeting.
During the 2014 World Cup, he was suspended for four months after biting Italian defender Giorgio Chiellini – the third biting incident of his career.
He had previously bitten Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic while playing for Liverpool and Otman Bakkal during his time at Ajax.
His latest outburst may now bring a lengthy punishment from Major League Soccer, which has yet to comment on the incident. A disciplinary ruling is expected in the coming days.
As for the game itself, Seattle took the lead in the 26th minute, when Osaze De Rosario rose to head home the opener.
Inter Miami pushed for an equalizer in the second half, creating several promising chances – but failed to convert any of them.
Both sets of players were seen brawling on the pitch shortly after the final whistle
Suarez ran up to the Sounders coaching staff as he vented his frustrations after the game
The Sounders then doubled their lead after Georgi Minoungou was fouled inside the area.
Alex Roldan stepped up to convert the penalty, after being handed the ball by his brother and teammate Cristian Roldan.
Paul Rothrock sealed the result in the 89th minute, sliding the ball past Ustari for Seattle’s third goal of the night.
Inter Miami’s next game is after the international break where they will take on Charlotte FC in the MLS on September 13.
