Neymar could reportedly face a seven-match ban for punching Alvaro Gonzalez after he accused the Spaniard of racism.
The Brazilian superstar was sent off for Paris Saint-Germain after VAR found that he had thrown a punch at Gonzalez, before the Brazilian insisted that the Marseille defender was racially abusive towards him.
The governing body of professional football in France, the LFP, will now review the incident before handing out its suspension for the Brazilian, with the organization’s regulations stating that the Brazilian could be banned for as many as seven matches, according to French sports outlet RMC Sport.
As cited by RMC Sport, ‘An aggressive action committed outside of a game set and without causing injury to the opponent can lead to the suspension of seven games’.
However if the reason for the dismissal is an attempted assault, he could face a ban of up to six games.’
They are also investigating the claims made about Gonzalez, and if he is found guilty of racism he could face up to a ten-game ban.
Marseille ran out 1-0 winners in a heated derby that saw five players sent off while 12 others were given yellow cards after a mass brawl broke out during the game at the Parc des Princes.
Neymar alleged that Gonzalez called him a ‘monkey motherf*****’, which infuriated the £208m star and resulted in him throwing a punch at his rival.
Television footage and a pitchside microphone appear to have caught Neymar pointing at the centre back in question and shouting: ‘Racism, no?’
‘VAR catching my “aggression” is easy… now I want to see the image of the racist calling me a monkey motherf*****,’ he tweeted after the game.
Before uncovering what Gonzalez had allegedly called him on the field, Neymar also tweeted: ‘My only regret is not hitting that a****** in the face.’
The Spaniard responded to the allegation on social media, labelling Neymar a ‘bad loser’ before the Brazilian responded to Gonzalez’s denial of the allegation.
‘There is no place for racism… Sometimes you have to learn to lose and take it on the field. Incredible 3 points today. Allez l’OM. Thanks family,’ Gonzalez tweeted alongside a picture of himself with his team-mates.
‘You are not a man to assume your mistake, losing is part of the sport. Now insulting and bringing racism into our lives no, I don’t agree,’ Neymar responded on Twitter.
‘I DON’T RESPECT YOU! YOU HAVE NO CHARACTER! Assume what you say mermon … be a MAN RAPÁ! RACIST’.
Andre Villas-Boas, the Marseille boss, said he hoped that racism had not further marred the clash. He told Telefoot: ‘I do not know, I hope not, I hope that nothing has happened’.
Neymar and Gonzalez’s clash came in the midst of a mass brawl that was sparked by Marseille’s Dario Benedetto and PSG midfielder Leandro Paredes following a challenge with the visitors leading by a single goal.
The attempts to restore calm from the man in the middle fell on deaf ears. Layvin Kurzawa and Jordan Amavi were also caught striking out at each other with punches, with referee Jerome Brisard showing the pair straight red cards too.
Daily Mail
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