Champions League: Neymar Hit with 3-Match Ban For Insulting Referee

Neymar was suspended for three Champions League matches by UEFA on Friday for a foul-mouthed tirade at match officials following Paris Saint-Germain’s shock exit from this season’s tournament to Manchester United.

Neymar, 27, missed the 3-1 Champions League second leg last 16 defeat on March 6 through injury but told match officials “to go fuck yourselves” on social media after watching on from the sidelines at the Parc des Princes.

The Brazil superstar was found guilty of “insulting/molesting acts against a match official”, European football’s governing body announced in a statement after opening an inquiry into his outburst on March 22.

Neymar, who will now miss half of PSG’s group stage matches in the Champions League next season, was angry with the award of a decisive injury-time penalty which Marcus Rashford scored to send United through.

“It’s a disgrace. They get four guys who don’t understand football to watch a slow-motion replay in front of the TV,” Neymar wrote in Portuguese on Instagram after the game.

He had watched on incredulous from the sidelines as United were awarded the spot-kick for a debatable handball via the video assistant referee (VAR) system, allowing Rashford to fire United into the quarter-finals on away goals.

Neymar was reportedly so enraged by the decision to give the penalty that he had to be restrained by PSG staff to stop him entering the referee’s dressing room.

United was given the spot-kick after Presnel Kimpembe was judged to have handled Diogo Dalot’s shot.

Neymar’s ban comes on the eve of his return to PSG’s starting line-up after injury for Saturday’s French Cup final against Rennes.

He made his first appearance since January 23 as a second-half substitute in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Monaco as PSG celebrated clinching a sixth Ligue 1 crown in seven years.