Neymar slapped with two-match ban for hitting Alvaro Gonzalez as Ligue 1 look at racial abuse claims

Paris St Germain’s Neymar has been given a two-match ban for striking out at Marseille’s Alvaro Gonzalez in last Sunday’s fiery Ligue 1 encounter. 

A league statement added that defender Alvaro Gonzalo was being investigated after Neymar accused the Spaniard of using racist language towards him during the match, in which a total of five players were sent off following a mass brawl in stoppage time.

PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa was given a six-match ban, the heaviest sanction from the match, for his role in the confrontation, while Marseille defender Jordan Amavi was banned for three matches.

Neymar was automatically suspended from Wednesday’s 1-0 win over Metz for the red card, as was team mate Leandro Paredes who received the same sanction against Marseille. Both players will also be suspended for Sunday’s away game at Nice.

Neymar and Paredes, who also both received a suspended sanction of an additional one-match ban, will make their returns against Stade de Reims on September 27. 

Marseille striker Dario Benedetto was handed a one-game suspension while PSG’s Angel Di Maria, who was booked during the game but was not punished for the fight, has been called to attend a league’s disciplinary committee meeting next week over claims he spat at an opponent.

Neymar had justified lashing out at Gonzalo by saying the Spaniard had racially abused him. The Marseille defender has denied Neymar’s allegations.

‘Regarding Alvaro Gonzalez, given the nature of the facts, the Commission has decided to place the case under investigation,’ added the Ligue 1 statement.