Many were shocked to hear Neymar was banned from the remaining Copa America but bit by bit, revelations are being made which make one understand the reason behind the harsh punishment.
Spanish paper AS report: Barcelona player made strong and abusive comments towards referee Enrique Osses, in charge of the match between Brazil and Colombia, numerous times in the tunnel after the match. Neymar insulted the referee with abusive language up to five times and grabbed him by the neck. In the end David Luiz had to separate the striker from the official as others watched on.
CONMEBOL took their time to decide the punishment for the player. A yellow card and the subsequent red for kicking the ball at Pablo Armero was going to see the Barcelona player miss two games, but that was reduced to one. However, after the disclosure of everything that happened surrounding his red card, the decision to extend his ban was made. A CONMEBOL disciplinary panel on Friday also fined Neymar $10,000.
Brazil coach Dunga said on Saturday that his confederation’s “legal department will file a counterpoint to Neymar’s sanction.”
Dunga said in a press conference that Neymar was one of football’s biggest stars and was incredibly important to the country and therefore Brazil attempting to get his ban reduced was only “what’s fair.”
After the punishment, the 23 year-old said that he went rules were used against him.
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“In my view the rules are always used against me,” Neymar told Brazilian media.
“I was off balance, the ball hit my hand but it was not intentional. They put a weak referee in there to whistle up for all that. The team didn’t play well.”
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho is expected to take Neymar’s spot against Venezuela though Dunga has not made any particular revelations. He said that he’s also considering Robinho.
Colombia’s Carlos Bacca, who was also sent off for a retaliatory shove, has been given a two-game ban.
