Inter Miami played FC Cincinnati to a 0-0 draw without the suspended Lionel Messi on Saturday night. Messi was not available after he and teammate Jordi Alba were suspended one match by Major League Soccer for skipping the All-Star game. Messi was still in attendance on Saturday, watching from a suite at Chase Stadium.

The owner of Inter Miami called Major League Soccer’s suspension of Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba for skipping the All-Star Game a “draconian” punishment. “They don’t understand the decision,” owner Jorge Mas said Friday of the one-game suspensions.

Inter Miami are set to face MLS leader FC Cincinnati, and star Lionel Messi's absence in the key game raised concern among fans. Lionel Messi has once again become one of the most talked-about figures in soccer—not only for his record-setting performances but also for the recent controversy surrounding the MLS All-Star Game.