Neymar misconduct hearing postponed

Rio de Janeiro, Feb 23 (IANS):

Neymar is free to play in Santos‘ March 3 clash against rivals Corinthians after a hearing into a misconduct charge against the striker was postponed by a Brazilian sports tribunal.

The charge relates to the 21-year-old’s altercation with Ponte Preta defenders Artur and Cleber during Santos’ surprise 1-3 defeat to the recently promoted Serie A outfit Campeonato Paulista last Sunday, reports Xinhua.

“We made a request for his case to be deferred and it was accepted,” Santos’ legal advisor Joao Vicente Gazolla said Friday.

Neymar was sent off for the incident and can face a 12-match ban for hostile behaviour and physical aggression. Despite the hearing’s postponement to March 4, Neymar will be ineligible for Sunday’s match between Santos and XV de Piracicaba due to an automatic one-game ban for the dismissal.