May 13 – The colourful and controversial career of Brazilian superstar Neymar on and off the pitch has been further underlined after the Paris St Germain forward was handed a three-game ban for lashing out at a fan following last month’s French Cup final defeat to Rennes.
The Brazilian, who has another disappointing season by his own high standards despite becoming the most expensive player in the world when he moved from Barcelona to PSG for €222million in 2017, will miss PSG’s two final Ligue 1 matches of this season, as well as the Trophee des Champions between French champions and the French Cup winners on August 3.
The French Football Federation’s disciplinary commission added a suspended two-match ban to its punishment.
PSG said in a statement it finds the sanction “severe” and has decided with Neymar to appeal the decision.
Neymar has already been suspended for three games by UEFA for insulting video review officials who awarded Manchester United’s stoppage-time penalty when PSG were eliminated from the Champions League in the last 16. He was absent for both legs against United because of injury.
Neymar, who is in the second year of a five-year deal with PSG, has missed large chunks of both seasons because of a foot injury that ruled him out of a number of key games. Although he has scored 50 goals in 57 matches with PSG, he has so far been unable to help the club achieve its ultimate goal of winning the Champions League, the main reason he was brought to the club.
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