Credit: Twitter
The Brazilian superstar Neymar, who joined Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in a record $300 million contract, was involved in a heated on-field dispute with a Navbahor player in his first AFC Champions League match on Monday. Despite pushing the player and kicking the ball at him, the 31-year-old Brazilian avoided a red card in the group-stage clash.
The referee showed Neymar a yellow card for his unsportsmanlike conduct, and the Brazilian forward was lucky to avoid being sent off, as he could have easily received a direct red card for his violent reaction.
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The incident happened at around the 60-minute mark of the second half of the Group D clash at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh when Neymar was preparing to take a free-kick near the corner flag. The 31-year-old forward pushed a Navbahor defender, who was trying to block his view, and then kicked the ball at him in frustration.
Watch the video here:
Neymar’s temper tantrum reflected his dissatisfaction with Al-Hilal’s performance, as the Saudi Pro League champion struggled to break down the Uzbekistan side. Al-Hilal dominated possession and created more chances, but failed to convert them into goals.
Navbahor took the lead in the 52nd minute when Toma Tabatadze scored with a low shot from outside the box that beat goalkeeper Mohammed Al-Owais. Al-Hilal equalised in the 10th minute of stoppage time when defender Ali Al-Bulaihi found the net. The 1-1 draw was a disappointing result for the Saudi giants, who had high expectations for its Asian Champions League campaign after signing Neymar and other stars such as Reuben Neves and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Neymar, who made his second start for Al-Hilal, showed glimpses of his quality but could not make a decisive impact. It is reported that the Brazilian lost possession of the ball 32 times in the game, but it hasn’t been confirmed yet. He will have to look to improve his attitude and performance if he wants to justify his massive salary and help Al-Hilal win its fourth continental title.
