Neymar Speaks Out Boldly in Premiere Interview Calls Out Arrogance

Neymar recently voiced strong criticism regarding officiating in Brazilian football during an interview on the Premiere channel. The comments came during halftime of the match between Santos and Flamengo on November 9, 2023. At the time of the interview, Santos was trailing 1-0.

Neymar Calls Out Arrogance in Refereeing

Throughout the interview, Neymar described the referee’s performance as “very poor” and characterized him as “arrogant.” He emphasized that this behavior impacts players negatively. Neymar stated, “The referee is very bad, and with all due respect, he is arrogant.”

Communication Issues with the Referee

Neymar expressed frustration about the communication rules during matches. According to him, only the team captain is permitted to speak with the referee. He said, “Every time we go to the locker room, we are told that this (the captain’s armband) is the only source of communication.” He recounted instances where attempts to speak with the referee resulted in him turning away or threatening to issue yellow cards.

• Neymar received a yellow card after a confrontation with the referee.
• He claimed the referee warned him, “If you come near me, I will give you a yellow card.”

Controversial Decisions in the Match

The forward also questioned a decision made shortly before Flamengo’s goal. He asserted that there was a foul on his teammate, Brasão, which should have been called. “In my opinion, it was a foul, which shouldn’t have led to a goal,” he remarked, adding that officiating errors have been prevalent in Brazilian matches.

Neymar concluded the interview with a strong reaffirmation of his views, stating, “I reiterate: the referee’s arrogance today, whose name I don’t even know, is horrible.” The commentator, Luiz Carlos Júnior, confirmed that the referee was Sávio Pereira Sampaio.

Neymar’s Return to the Field

Neymar is making his return to professional football after a significant injury layoff. He played against Fortaleza on November 1, 2023, a match that ended in a 1-1 draw. However, he was rested for the subsequent game against Palmeiras due to concerns about the synthetic pitch at Allianz Parque, which Santos lost 2-0.

Current Standings

As of the latest match results, Santos remains in the relegation zone with 33 points. In contrast, Flamengo is in second place in the league standings with 68 points, tied with high-flying Palmeiras, who are set to face Mirassol later that evening.