Neymar’s stormy night: sexist remark, scrap and ban for Flamengo derby | OneFootball

Neymar had one of those nights that won’t be forgotten, though not exactly for the right reasons. Santos beat Remo 2-0 at Vila Belmiro, and Peixe’s No. 10 was loose and in the spotlight on the football side of things, providing a classy assist for Thaciano’s opening goal. But what will be remembered from the night is something else: the clashes with Uruguayan Diego Hernández, the yellow card that will keep him out of the derby against Flamengo, and a remark aimed at the referee that sparked a storm of criticism for misogyny. “He woke up with his period,” he fired off.

The villain of the evening was the aforementioned Diego Hernández, a Uruguayan midfielder who came off the bench with ten minutes left and, from the moment he entered, went straight after Ney. The back-and-forth between them kept escalating: trash talk, friction, and even an ironic question from the Brazilian No. 10 asking who the opponent bothering him even was.

The peak came in the 40th minute of the second half, when Hernández gave Neymar a hard shove during a set-piece play. O Príncipe didn’t take it well, went right at him, and earned the yellow card that automatically suspends him for the clash against Flamengo.

But the most talked-about moment of the night didn’t happen on the field, but in front of the microphones. When asked about referee Sávio Pereira Sampaio, Neymar complained about his performance using the Portuguese expression “acordou de chico,” a derogatory euphemism referring to menstruation. The literal translation softens the insult, but the intent was clear: “He woke up with his period and that’s why he officiated like that,” was essentially what he said, with a complicit smile that left little room for interpretation.

The reaction on social media was immediate and forceful. Even within Brazil, where Neymar is treated like the Prodigal Son, criticism over misogyny poured in from all sides. A remark that, in the context of his attempt to convince Ancelotti ahead of what would be his fourth World Cup, could hardly have come at a worse time.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.