Monterrey Chief Talks Postgame Confrontation with Lionel Messi, Inter Miami Players

CF Monterrey president José Antonio ‘Tato’ Noriega addressed the controversy following the first leg match against Inter Miami, asserting that Lionel Messi and other players confronted manager Fernando ‘Tano’ Ortiz.

Inter Miami, with a promising 1-0 lead in the first half, seemed to have the game under control. However, in the final 45 minutes, the squad experienced a meltdown filled with errors, turning the tide of the game. The game took an unexpected turn for the MLS club when David Ruiz was sent off with two yellow cards in a short span.

Monterrey took advantage of Tata Martino and his team playing with 10 men for over 20 minutes. Rayados scored two goals for a 2-1 win heading into the second leg next week. However, after the victory, the postgame confrontation began, and Noriega broke his silence while speaking to TUDN.

“No, it’s not the right time to discuss that because there needs to be a thorough investigation and report,” Noriega said. “I’m not here to deny that things happened, but we’ll provide details at another time. We’ll await the report from the appropriate authorities before establishing our stance.

“I’ll reiterate, I’d rather not engage in controversy as it might muddy the situation. So, let’s wait for the necessary facts regarding the procedures and corresponding matters. Then, we can discuss them.”