MLS Team Bans Athletic Writers From Media Day After Interview With Head Coach
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File
Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami reportedly banned two reporters from The Athletic on Tuesday after they published an interview with the team’s coach.
The Athletic’s Pablo Maurer and Felipe Cárdenas published two articles featuring an interview they conducted with Inter Miami’s manager, Phil Neville. They discussed various topics, including the format of the MLS playoffs and the team’s quest to sign superstar Lionel Messi this summer.
Tuesday was media day for Inter Milan, and according to both Maurer and Cárdenas, they were barred from the event.
“.@FelipeCar and I were informed today that Inter Miami banned The Athletic from its media day event because they disagreed with the framing of our coverage over the weekend,” Maurer tweeted.
We’re disappointed this is the action they’ve taken and we stand by our coverage.
Cárdenas seconded the tweet.
“.@MLSist and I were informed today that Inter Miami banned The Athletic from its media day event because they disagreed with the timing and framing of our coverage over the weekend,” Cárdenas reiterated.
I’m disappointed this is the action they’ve taken and I stand by our coverage.
The New York Post‘s Andrew Marchand asked Cárdenas which story got the two of them banned. Paul Tenorio of The Athletic claimed it was both stories that had the interview with Neville.
Legendary soccer player David Beckham is a part owner of Inter Miami.
In The Athletic‘s interview, Neville discussed his relationship with Beckham since the two were teammates at Manchester United for nine years.
“I always think with owners, you hear some managers say, ‘owners interfere.’ What does interfere look like? I always think of it as the case where they’re passionate,” Neville said to The Athletic.
Neville also ripped the MLS’ governing body for not deciding on how the playoffs will be played for the 2023 season.
“We’re six days, seven days out from the first game of the season; we don’t know the playoff format. I think that’s poor,” Neville said.
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