Neymar has been reported to Brazil's Sports Tribunal for breaching the "Vinícius Júnior rule" and could be banned for up to six matches. The Santos star was sent off for covering his mouth with his hand while arguing with Bahia midfielder Rodrigo Nestor during his team's 1-0 league win on Saturday.
Bahia condemned the alleged "verbal abuse" directed at Nestor by Neymar. Nestor told reporters after the game that what Neymar said to him was "highly disrespectful -- both toward me and toward the Bahia jersey."
Neymar, 34, admitted he was wrong to cover his mouth but denied making any comment to Nestor. He accused the midfielder of making "one of the dirtiest tricks in football."
Neymar's hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. If he receives the maximum suspension, he will miss Santos' final stretch of the Brazilian Championship. Santos, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, are eighth in the standings, 12 points clear of the drop zone with six games remaining.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing