PSG superstar Neymar (30) has vented his anger at German referee Daniel Siebert (38) with a small internet campaign.
The Brazil international accused the referee of “total lack of respect” in a series of tweets, ranting: “This must not happen!” He had “done nothing” but had been “harmed”.
Siebert had shown the dribbling artist a yellow card in Paris St. Germain’s Champions League match at Maccabi Haifa (3:1) after his goal for the final score (88th). The reason: Neymar’s famous clown cheer. The offensive player stuck out his tongue and cheered provocatively in the direction of the Maccabi fans. Siebert showed the provocateur yellow for the unsporting behaviour.
“Something like that only happens to me. Next time I’ll tell the referee beforehand,” Neymar scolded in a video in his Instagram story. He posted a photo of his jubilation both there and on Twitter, where he has a combined following of around 235 million fans. In it, Neymar sticks out his tongue and holds both hands next to his face.
Already in the game, the attacker protested more vehemently against the warning. Afterwards, he went even further: he posted Siebert’s name in capital letters with three emojis to mimic his cheers and announced he would continue with it. He also ranted that football was “getting more and more boring”.
Siebert is the only German referee nominated for the Winter World Cup. So it’s not out of the question that he and Neymar will clash again in Qatar. Brazil are in Group G with Cameroon, Switzerland and Serbia for a place in the last 16.
