Luis Suárez Handed Six-Match Ban After Spitting Incident in Leagues Cup Final

Inter Miami forward Luis Suárez has been hit with a six-match suspension for misconduct following last weekend’s heated Leagues Cup final defeat to the Seattle Sounders, disciplinary officials confirmed on Friday.

The 38-year-old Uruguayan, who previously starred for Liverpool, Barcelona, and Atlético Madrid, was punished for spitting at a Sounders staff member after Miami’s 3-0 loss in Seattle. The Leagues Cup Disciplinary Committee said Suárez’s ban will apply to the 2025 edition of the tournament, though Major League Soccer has reserved the right to impose further sanctions.

Suárez’s teammate Sergio Busquets received a two-match suspension, while defender Tomas Avilés was handed a three-game ban. On the Seattle side, coaching staff member Steven Lenhart was suspended for five matches.

The punishments stem from chaotic scenes that erupted immediately after the final whistle. Suárez confronted Sounders midfielder Obed Vargas, putting the 20-year-old in a headlock, which sparked a mass melee involving players and staff from both teams. Cameras later caught the veteran striker spitting at a Seattle security official as tensions boiled over.

This latest controversy adds to Suárez’s long disciplinary record, which includes high-profile bans for biting opponents and racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra during his time in England.

On Thursday, Suárez issued a public apology via Instagram, expressing regret over his actions. “It was a moment of great tension and frustration, where right after the match things happened that shouldn’t have happened, but that doesn’t justify the reaction I had,” he wrote. “I was wrong and I sincerely regret it… I feel bad about what happened, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to acknowledge it and apologize to everyone who felt hurt by what I did.”

The suspension means Suárez will be unavailable for Inter Miami’s 2025 Leagues Cup campaign, though his immediate future in Major League Soccer remains subject to review.