CAS cuts Neymar ban

NEYMAR scores a breakthrough after CAS reduces his ban. AFP

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) — Neymar’s Champions League ban for insulting match officials on social media has been reduced from three games to two following an appeal, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled on Tuesday.

The world’s most expensive player following his move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for 222 million euros in 2017 will miss the fixtures against Real Madrid on Wednesday and Galatasaray in two weeks’ time due to the original ban from UEFA.

However, he will now be free to face Belgian side Bruges on 22 October.

“The Sole Arbitrator partially upheld the appeal and reduced the suspension imposed by UEFA on Neymar Jr. to two UEFA competition matches for which he would otherwise be eligible,” CAS said in a statement.

The Brazilian criticized the referee and his assistants after PSG’s Last 16 collapse to Manchester United in March that he watched from the stands due to injury.

United was awarded a penalty deep into injury time after a protracted VAR decision, which Marcus Rashford scored to knock the French side out in the Last 16 of the Champions League.

“It’s a disgrace. They get four guys who don’t understand football to watch a slow motion replay in front of the TV,” Neymar posted on his Instagram account after the 1-3 defeat.