Brazil's superstar captain was harshly booked for handball before being shown a red card because he aimed a headbutt at match-winner Jeison Murillo. Brazillian soccer star, Neymar, has hit out at the standard of refereeing at the current Copa America Tournament having been red-carded AFTER the final whistle on Wednesday.
The Selecao captain cut an irritated figure for much of the disappointing 1-0 defeat to Colombia in the Chilean capital Santiago, sulking after being booked in the first half. The frustration finally got the better of him when Chilean official Enrique Osses brought an error-strewn match to a close. Neymar aimed a headbutt at Murillo, starting a fight that also saw Colombia substitute Carlos Bacca dismissed. The 23-year-old could not hide his anger after the game - especially over being harshly penalised for an accidental handball before the interval.
"They have to use the rules against me," Neymar fumed. "The ball hit me on the hand without any intention and I got a yellow. "That's what happens when you have a weak referee. I only lose my rag when officials don't do their jobs. "There was a melee, but he didn't need to send everyone off."
The defeat leaves Brazil needing a result, without their suspended superstar, against Venezuela in their final group game to guarantee a place in the knockout stage. The referee showed red cards to both Neymar and Bacca but the former was furious with Enrique Osses' performance.
Neymar was given a yellow card in the closing stages of the first half for handball after having a close-range header saved by David Ospina, with the ball rebounding straight back to the Barcelona forward. "They clean the disappearing foam and do not receive yellow but I do. The ball was in my hand but it was not intentional, I was falling, and received yellow. "Things happen. Put a weak referee to referee and this happens. Nothing made me crazy. I just get p***** with the referees who don't whistle right."
Neymar was cautioned in Brazil's first game at the tournament for wiping away the referee's disappearing foam but he and a number of his team-mates were frustrated when Osses did not penalise Colombia's Juan Cuadrado for the same action. Willian claimed Neymar deserves more protection from referees.
