Thiago Mendes hits out at ref: “Whistle only for Neymar” | OneFootball

The 2-1 defeat to Santos at Vila Belmiro continued to have repercussions off the field. After the match in the fourth round of the Brasileirão, Vasco da Gama’s midfielder commented on the heated exchange with Neymar and criticized referee Rafael Rodrigo Klein’s officiating.

According to Thiago Mendes, the argument started after the celebration of Santos’ first goal, when Neymar made a “silence” gesture towards the Vasco fans.

The midfielder stated that he only requested respect and that there was no overreaction on his part in the incident. He also complained that the refereeing favored Santos’ number 10 during the match.

Recall the episode in French football

The statement refers to an episode that occurred in December 2020, when Neymar was still playing for Paris Saint-Germain. At the time, the Parisian team was facing Olympique Lyonnais in the French Championship.

On December 13 of that year, Thiago Mendes made a hard tackle from behind on Neymar in the final minutes of the match, hitting the striker’s left ankle. The PSG forward left the field in tears, raising immediate concerns about the seriousness of the injury.

+ Vasco loses with two goals from Neymar, and sinks to the bottom of the Brasileirão

Neymar suffers injury in the match between PSG and Lyon (Photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

After medical exams, it was found to be a sprain in the left ankle with ligament damage. Although there was no fracture, Neymar was sidelined for about a month. Thiago Mendes was sent off directly after a VAR review.

While Santos celebrates the victory, Vasco tries to quickly turn the page, as they have an important fixture in the Campeonato Carioca in the coming days.

SANTOS VS VASCO – 4th round of the Brazilian Championship

📲Thursday, February 26 2026📍Stadium: Vila Belmiro (Santos, SP)⏰Time: 7:30 PM (Brasília time)📺Where to watch: Sportv and Premiere🗣️Referee: Rafael Rodrigo Klein (RS)🚩Assistants: Rafael da Silva Alves (RS) and Maira Mastella Moreira (RS)📟 VAR: Rodrigo D Alonso Ferreira (SC)

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