Referee handed six-month ban for what he said to Lionel Messi following Inter Miami win

A referee has been banned from officiating in CONCACAF competitions for six months following an incident involving Lionel Messi.

Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava, 36, was the referee for Inter Miami’s much-anticipated Champions Cup first-round clash against Sporting Kansas City on the evening of February 20.

Lionel Messi scored the only goal of the game in front of 15,178 fans who braved the freezing conditions, as temperatures at Kansas' home ground registered at a 'real feel' of -9C.

Another big talking point from last week's fixture happened after the full-time whistle, when referee Ortiz Nava approached Messi for his autograph.

A report from ESPN has since emerged suggesting the Mexican official received a shirt from the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, although it looks like he has paid the price.

According to the above report, Ortiz Nava has been banned from officiating in CONCACAF competitions for six months following the on-field request.

In a statement, CONCACAF said that the official's conduct "does not align with the Confederation's Code of Conduct for match officials and existing processes for these types of requests."

They added: "The referee has acknowledged his mistake, apologised for the incident, and accepted the disciplinary action CONCACAF has applied."

CONCACAF also clarified that the referee had actually spoken to Messi to request an autograph for a family member with special needs.

Ortiz Nava will, however, continue to officiate in Mexico's Liga MX while he serves the ban and recently refereed a league game between Puebla and Club Tijuana.

Marco Antonio Ortiz Nava and Lionel Messi after the full-time whistle. Image credit: X/@4footballtv

Two days later and Lionel Messi found himself in trouble as Inter Miami kicked off their MLS season with a 2-2 draw against New York City.

After the full-time whistle, a visibly frustrated Messi could be seen speaking to New York assistant coach Mehdi Ballouchy.

But as the Argentine appeared to end the conversation, he then put his hand on the back of Ballouchy's neck, which brought a surprised reaction from the former Morocco midfielder.

Messi has since been fined for the incident, with the MLS releasing a statement to confirm their action.

The statement read: "The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi an undisclosed amount for violating the hands to the face/head/neck of an opponent policy following the conclusion of Inter Miami’s match against New York City FC on February 22."