NEYMAR’S HOPES OF playing in the Clasico against Real Madrid are over after the Barcelona forward received a three-match suspension for applauding referee Gil Manzano against Malaga.
The Brazilian forward was sent off at the Rosaleda for a second bookable offence, a punishment that carries an automatic sanction of one match.
However, Gil Manzano reported Neymar after the match for ironically clapping his decision as he left the field.
And on Tuesday, the Spanish Football Federation’s Competitions Committee confirmed that on top of the original ban, the player would miss an additional two games for dissent against the match official.
Neymar as a result will be on the sidelines for Saturday’s clash at Camp Nou against Real Sociedad, and will also play no part in the following week’s Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The news is a heavy blow for the Catalans, who must win against Real Madrid to keep alive their hopes of coming back to retain La Liga.
Barca currently trail Madrid by three points, with Zinedine Zidane’s men holding an additional game in hand over their rivals.
The final game of Neymar’s suspension comes on April 26, when the Blaugrana host Osasuna.
Barcelona will contest the decision before the Appeals Committee, which meets on Wednesday, on the grounds that Neymar’s sarcastic clapping did not constitute dissent and that the additional ban is therefore unjustified.
In the meantime, he will also have to tread carefully in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final.
A yellow card for Neymar in Turin against Juventus would earn him another suspension, this time in the continental tournament, and rule him out of the crucial second leg at Camp Nou against the Serie A champions.
Neymar has been vital to his team’s efforts in keeping up the chase on Madrid this season, playing 26 of their 31 games so far.
While Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez head the scoring charts, the Brazilian has weighed in with nine goals and 10 assists, making him second only to Suarez as a provider.
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Not even close!!!
Except if Van Dijk is turned he has the pace to recover and also turns faster than a JCB in the first place. If Maguire goes to City I can see him being punished on the break. Also if he was the exact same player only Irish theres not a hope this figure would be paid for him and he probably wouldn’t have even got to Leicester.
@Hugh Jass: I don’t know what Maguire you’re taking about, but this lad bossed City’s attack a few weeks back and had no problem running up the wing with the ball , skipping past opposition wingers and defenders and putting in a fairly decent cross for a CB… and don’t say that’s just one game !!! Its my opinion he has the same attributes as Ramos in that he’s powerful, good in the air, can run with the ball and is a danger in the box for any defending team…..
There is similarities in their play tbf. Van dyke is better but I do rate Maguire and we would see what he can do at a better team. Time would tell.
@Seaniecp: Agree, and I do think he would be a great addition to the Utd team.
@Logan Shepherd: not for 100m
@Ich bin brendan: Definitely not. He’s not worth half that. But at the right money he is better than Utd’s current CB options. In my opinion anyway.
@Ich bin brendan: I wouldn’t believe fees that are being tossed around in the media or on social networks. He other day sky reported that but city and Utd would pay 65m for him … then you here 100m then 100m plus addons etc from other sources
Decent player but overacted by English media.
What is he smoking
Ha,ha,ha.
Hilarious
Hey 42 I think that’s just a picture Tody Leonard Moore in a Leicester jersey
A big lump