Neymar has come under heavy criticism following the match between Santos and Remo (2-0) on Thursday night. The Brazilian national team’s all-time top scorer was unhappy with referee Sávio Sampaio and expressed his displeasure in a striking manner, which caused quite a stir.
In the closing stages of the match, Neymar feigned a kick during a free-kick. Opponent Diego Hernández took no kindly to this and committed a heavy foul on the 34-year-old winger.
Neymar complained to Sampaio and was shown a yellow card for it, after which the Brazilian star vented his frustrations in a post-match interview.
“This is really unfair,” began Neymar, who also lashed out at Hernández. “I just get a nasty tackle from behind, totally unnecessary at the end of the match.”
“It wasn’t the first time, but already the third or fourth time. I just went up to him and said, ‘Have you gone mad?’ And then I was shown a yellow card.”
Neymar was far from happy with this decision and drew a remarkable conclusion about the referee. “Anyway, that’s just how Sampaio is. He must be on his period.”
This remark seems to have rubbed many people up the wrong way, and Neymar is facing heavy criticism on social media. Last month, Brazilian Série A defender Gustavo Marques (Red Bull Bragantino) was already handed a twelve-match ban for sexist comments. Neymar has not yet received a ban.