Discipline
Neymar faces up to six-match ban for breaching 'Vinícius Júnior rule'
The Santos forward was sent off after Bahia's Rodrigo Nestor told the referee Neymar had covered his mouth to insult him.
FootVal Newsroom
Neymar has been reported to Brazil's Sports Tribunal after being sent off for allegedly covering his mouth to direct abuse at Bahia midfielder Rodrigo Nestor, according to ESPN and Marca. The incident triggers what is known in Brazil as the 'Vinícius Júnior rule', which was introduced to combat racist and offensive language on the pitch.
The rule, named after the Real Madrid winger who was targeted by racist abuse in La Liga, requires stricter punishment when a player deliberately conceals their words from lip-readers or camera footage. Rodrigo Nestor alerted the referee during the match, leading to Neymar's dismissal.
Brazil's Sports Tribunal will now assess the case. If found guilty of breaching the rule, Neymar could receive a ban of up to six matches. FootVal's valuation of the 34-year-old Santos forward currently stands at €6.7m, below his Transfermarkt market value of €8m.
The outcome of the tribunal process will determine how long Neymar is absent from Santos' Brasileirão campaign.
Sources
This article is based on reports by:
- ESPN — Neymar faces 6-game ban for covering his mouth to allegedly trash-talk Bahia rival
- Marca — Descifran los insultos y amenazas de Neymar en su expulsión por la 'Ley Vinicius'
Written by the FootVal newsroom from the reports below, with figures from FootVal’s own database. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. · How we report