BEVERLY HILLS, September 15, (THEWILL) – PSG forward, Neymar, says he “acted like a fool” after his red card against Marseille but he enjoined football authorities to put more effort to check racism after he accused Spanish defender Alvaro Gonzalez of being a racist.
THEWILL reports that the Brazilian was among the five players sent off after a fight at the end of PSG’s 1-0 loss in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
Neymar was sent off after he slapped Gonzalez on the back of the head. His team-mates, Layvin Kurzawa and Leandro Paredes were also sent off as well as Marseille’s Dario Benedetto and Jordan Amavi.
Neymar had claimed that Gonzalez, in a series of furious tweets, had called him a “monkey”.
PSG says it will stand behind Neymar saying the club “strongly supports” him but the Brazilian says he is ready for whatever sanctions the French league’s disciplinary commission hands him on Wednesday.
“Yesterday I revolted. I was punished with red because I wanted to hit someone who offended me,” Neymar said in a lengthy Instagram post Monday.
“I thought I could not leave without doing something because I realised that those in charge would not do anything, did not notice or ignored the fact.
“In our sport, aggressions, insults, swearing are part of the game, of the dispute. You can’t be affectionate. I understand this guy partly, all is part of the game, but racism and intolerance are unacceptable.
“Should I have ignored it? I don’t know yet… Today, with a cool head, I say yes, but in due course, my companions and I asked the referees for help and we were ignored.
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“I accept my punishment because I should have followed the path of clean football. I hope, on the other hand, that the offender will also be punished.
“Racism exists. It exists, but we have to stop it. No more. Enough!”
“The guy was a fool. I also acted like a fool for letting me get involved in that.”
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