Neymar should have been shown a second yellow, and consequently sent off, against Real Madrid for diving but the referee ‘bottled’ it, former striker Michael Owen has claimed.
Cristiano Ronaldo inspired the hosts to a 3-1 win against Paris Saint-Germain at the Bernabeu, bagging two goals and winning the personal battle against the £198million man.
It wasn’t the best of nights for the Brazilian. He was cautioned early on after a clumsy challenge on Nacho before referee Gianluca Rocchi adjudged him to have dived when Casemiro came in to challenge him just after the hour mark.
The referee ‘bottled’ sending Neymar off for diving, claimed former striker Michael Owen
The Brazilian had already been cautioned for a poor challenge on Nacho earlier in the game
Rocchi awarded the free-kick to Real Madrid but, to the dismay of many in the Bernabeu, the world’s most expensive player walked away without a second booking.
‘A couple of players were lucky to stay on the pitch,’ Owen said on BT Sport after the match. ‘Neymar, a blatant dive, the referee spotted it and didn’t have the courage to send him off.
‘The referee spotted it, I thought it was an automatic yellow card but obviously not.’
In the second half, he flicked the ball past Casemiro and the Real Madrid man put a leg in
The PSG forward was adjudged to have made the most of the challenge as he went tumbling
Neymar went to ground somewhat theatrically and the referee gave a free-kick for diving
But for some reason, referee Gianluca Rocchi did not brandish a second yellow card
Fellow pundit Paul Clement then weighed in on the discussion, corroborating Owen’s claim that Neymar should have been given his marching orders.
‘To the letter of the law, that’s a second yellow.’
Player simulation in the modern game remains is a contentious issue. When asked how diving could be stamped out of the game, Owen replied: ‘Referees not bottling it, for starters.’
But the PSG superstar escaped a second booking and, crucially, will be available for the return leg at Parc des Princes next month.
When asked how to stamp diving out of the game, Owen said: ‘Referees not bottling it’
