Neymar Suspended for Two Matches for Covering His Mouth During an Argument

Santos captain Neymar has been suspended for two matches by the Brazilian Sports Justice Court (STJD) for covering his mouth while arguing with Bahia midfielder Rodrigo Nestor. The decision was announced after the 1-1 draw at Vila Belmiro on Saturday. Because the penalty is a first-instance ruling, Neymar and Santos can appeal.

In the first half, Neymar threw the ball away after a foul on Nestor and was shown a yellow card. It was his third yellow card, which triggered an automatic suspension for the next league match. Early in the second half, Neymar approached Nestor again and, while talking, covered his mouth with his hand. Referee Sávio Pereira Sampaio reviewed the incident with VAR and then showed him a straight red card. According to the report, the sent-off Neymar ran to the Bahia bench and was stopped by his teammates.

After the match, Neymar admitted covering his mouth but denied that the gesture was significant. He argued that Nestor had used the rule to gain a competitive advantage. Nestor said the words directed at him were very disrespectful. Bahia also issued a statement condemning the verbal abuse against its player.

Because of the combined penalties, Neymar will miss Wednesday's match against Palmeiras, followed by the games against Red Bull Bragantino and Coritiba. He is not expected to return to the pitch before the end of November, and a possible comeback could come in the 36th round match against Grêmio. The 2026 season has been marked by injury and disciplinary problems for Neymar, who three months ago became the first top-flight player in Brazil to be temporarily removed from the pitch under a rule tested to prevent goalkeepers from wasting time.