Santos captain Neymar gets two-match ban for covering mouth in argument
The gist
Santos captain Neymar, 34, was banned two matches for covering his mouth during an on-field argument with a Bahia player.
With an existing ban he misses three Santos games, deepening the club's selection problems.
How it unfolded
- Oct 25, 2026Neymar was sent off after a verbal altercation with Bahia midfielder Rodrigo Nestor during Santos' 1-1 draw with Bahia at Vila Belmiro, after tensions had escalated early in the second half.
- Oct 28, 2026Santos hosted Palmeiras in a Serie A fixture at Vila Belmiro; João Schmidt was cautioned in the 41st minute of the second half for a foul on Maurício, his third yellow card.
- Oct 28, 2026The STJD announced its ruling after finding Neymar guilty of violating the Vinicius Jr. rule, which prohibits players from covering their mouths during on-field confrontations.