Inter Miami and Lionel Messi will start the MLS season with some discomfort. As per reports, the game will take place without VAR. The clash, which is expected to happen in their newly named Chase Stadium, will not have referees from the Professional Soccer Referees Association (PSRA). This is due to an ongoing strike by the referees of the league.

Additionally, in a recent revelation, the league will not implement the three new rules that it was supposed to until the issue is resolved, and in-stadium VAR was one of them. However, the arrangement has now been made with alternate referees, according to MLSSoccer, which came just hours before the match.

Nevertheless, the game is still expected to run without interruptions. Inter Miami, in search of their first league title, will expect to have all the decisions taken with fair judgment. The disagreement between the Professional Referee Organization (PRO) and the PRSA started about a month ago.

Earlier, the PRSA reportedly refused a potential contract by the PRO, leading to a lockout by the MLS. It is noted that around 95.8% of the referees voted against the contract because of salary issues. The members of the PRSA felt that the contract did not offer them any improvement financially or in overall quality.

The president of the union said, “The skyrocketing growth of MLS has significantly increased demands on officials mentally and physically, and as such, has increased demands on both our professional and personal time.” But the PRO on the other side claimed that they had a reasonable deal in place with a 10–33% hike for the referees, 75–104% for the assistants, and 15–100% for the video match officials, including other perks. However, the proposal did not lead to an agreement.

How will the lockout impact Lionel Messi’s MLS journey?

Lionel Messi’s opening game has a bit of skepticism after the PRSA’s statement last month. The union body claimed that the standards of those referees may not match the ones with experience. The statement read, “PSRA members are highly skilled and well-trained professionals. Any decisions by PRO to bring in officials who are not members of PSRA could have a substantial impact on the upcoming MLS season.” emphasizing the value of their members.

READ MORE: Meet Cristian Campo Hernandez: Ex-College Ref Turned Replacement Referee for Lionel Messi & Inter Miami’s MLS 2024 Season Opener

Additionally, apart from VAR, two other rules will not be effective until the issue is sorted out. One is the Timed Substitution, where the player will have to move out within 10 seconds of being substituted, and the other is the Off-Field Treatment rule.

On the whole, the league will manage without the main referees for some time, but how it will turn out has to be seen.

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