Paris (AFP)
Neymar has been heard: the League (LFP) announced Wednesday that it would investigate the racist remarks that the Marseillais Alvaro would have made towards the star of Paris SG, also suspended two firm meetings for his involvement in the start of a fight .
The disciplinary committee did not have a hand as heavy as feared the Brazilian, guilty of a slap to the back of the defender's head during clashes which polluted the end of the "Clasico" won Sunday by OM (1-0), for the first time in nine years.
For "Ney" (who was given a suspended match in addition), this decision means that he will be able to return to Reims on September 27, that is to say after more than two weeks of forced rest for him, when he had just finished resume competition after testing positive for Covid-19 in early September.
However, the chapter of this stormy encounter, punctuated by five expulsions including his own, is not over for him.
The charges of racism he brought against Alvaro, and which earned him a wave of support from Brazil, will be examined by the instance, during an investigation which will be based on a thorough analysis of the images, promised to take time.
The N.10, who complained several times during the meeting, assures that the Spaniard called him a "monkey".
"We know that there was an exchange of words. But today, the certainties are not sufficient to summon the players," said the chairman of the disciplinary committee, Sébastien Deneux.
- Di Maria summoned on September 23 -
The process will also determine whether Neymar made homophobic remarks towards Alvaro Gonzalez, as Spanish media claim.
“This evening, we were seized with possible comments of a racist nature by Alvaro. We must speak with the greatest caution. The investigation will reveal whether there are other facts likely to have consequences on a disciplinary plan ", continued the leader.
Last point in suspense, the spitting of Angel di Maria in the direction of Alvaro: the Argentinian from PSG has been summoned for the next meeting of the committee, on September 23.
A spit can earn him up to six suspension matches.
Among the players involved in the start of the fight that broke out in added time of a stormy "Clasico" from start to finish, the Parisian Layvin Kurzawa received the heaviest penalty - six matches - for blows exchanged with Jordan Amavi (three matches).
At the origin of the altercations, Leandro Paredes (PSG) and Dario Benedetto (OM) are suspended, respectively, two meetings (plus one suspended) and only one.
For Neymar, this suspension is added to the list of his bloodthirsty attacks since his arrival with great fanfare in the summer of 2017, against the record sum of EUR 222 million.
- Key year for "Ney" -
The Brazilian had already been suspended three matches by UEFA in April 2019 for offensive tweets against the referees of the defeat against Manchester United (3-1) in the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League (sanction reduced to two matches by the Court of Arbitration for Sport).
In May 2019, the French Federation (FFF) imposed the same suspension (plus two suspended matches) for the blow he dealt to a spectator who provoked him at the Stade de France, while he was in the stand. to recover his consolation medal after the lost final of the Coupe de France against Rennes (2-2 ap, 6-5 in the tabs).
His absence is bad news for coach Thomas Tuchel, who has had to deal for two weeks with the absence of several executives infected with the new coronavirus.
This very small workforce, added to the busy schedule which deprived it of preparation, partly explains the two initial defeats of PSG, which at the end of August still played the final of the Champions League, lost against Bayern (1-0 ).
Neymar is eagerly awaited to bring his team back to this level of the competition, as he begins a pivotal year with a view to a possible extension of his contract expiring in 2022.
© 2020 AFP