Neymar’s four-game ban was not just the result of what we saw on the field of play. Based on what we have managed to learn from within the Brazil camp at the Sheraton Santiago Hotel, the match report reveals that the player hurled a tirade of abuse at the Chilean referee who oversaw the game between Brazil and Colombia, Enrique Osses. However, things did not get physical, even though the star was at boiling point.
“You want to make yourself famous at my expense, you son of a b**ch”, Neymar said to the ref after hanging around for him in the tunnel. “He was waiting for me and insulted me, calling me a son of a b**ch”, wrote the official in his report.
The four-game ban is therefore more a consequence of this incident which we did not see than what we did see when he kicked the ball at Pablo Armero, attempted to headbutt Jeison Murillo and the ruckus which followed. CONMEBOL, meanwhile, assured that his punishment could easily have been more severe.
Aberto Lozada, a member of the CONMEBOL Disciplinary Committee, said the following: “Based on what the report says, it was premeditated, waiting for the referee in the tunnel and insulting him. His punishment could have been harsher. He got off lightly.”
