The Barcelona forward was sent off at La Rosaleda for a
second bookable offence, a punishment that carries an
automatic sanction of one match.
However, referee Gil Manzano reported Neymar after the
match for ironically clapping the fourth official for the
decision as he left the field.
On Tuesday, the Spanish Football Federation’s
competition committee confirmed that, on top of the
original ban, the player would miss an additional two
games for dissent.
“We must point out that clapping in itself is an act of
contempt towards the referee, which was recognised by
the club itself,” the committee stated in its ruling, after
Barcelona had argued the applause was not grounds for
punishment – an interpretation that was not shared by
the governing body.
“[Barcelona] did not present any proof, be it video or of
any other kind, which supports their version of the
events.”
Neymar will be on the sidelines for Saturday’s clash at
Camp Nou against Real Sociedad, and will also play no
part in the following week’s Clasico at the Santiago
Bernabeu.
The news is a heavy blow for Barcelona, who must win
against Real Madrid to keep alive their hopes of coming
back to retain La Liga.
Barca currently trail Madrid by three points, with Zinedine
Zidane’s men holding an additional game in hand over
their rivals.
The final game of Neymar’s suspension comes on April
26, when the Blaugrana host Osasuna.
