Santos captain Neymar suspended for two matches — The Express Tribune

The Brazilian Superior Court of Sports Justice (STJD) suspended Santos captain Neymar for two matches for covering his mouth during an argument with Bahia player Rodrigo Nestor. The incident occurred during a Brazilian Serie A match that ended in a 1-1 draw.

Rule violation

The 34-year-old Neymar was sent off after a clash with Rodrigo Nestor. According to The Express Tribune, the sports court found the footballer guilty of violating the Vinicius Junior rule, which prohibits players from covering their mouths during conflicts on the pitch.

The referee's report also states that after being sent off, Neymar ran to the visiting team's bench to confront his opponent. His teammates had to restrain him.

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To miss three matches

In total, Neymar will not play in Santos' next three matches. He was already due to miss one of them — a league match against Palmeiras — because of three yellow cards. The footballer will miss another two matches for violating the protocol. Neymar and Santos may appeal the decision regarding this violation.

This suspension came three months after Neymar became the first player in Brazil's top division to receive a temporary dismissal under a new rule being tested in the league to combat time-wasting by goalkeepers. The former Brazil national team captain is expected to return to the pitch at the end of November.