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“Beyond Childish”- Neymar Lambasted for Pushing Rival to Ground During Champions League Debut With Al Hilal

Published 09/19/2023, 9:00 AM EDT

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Neymar debuted in the Asian Champions League for Al Hilal in Riyadh on a Monday evening. The match ended in a 1-1 draw against the Uzbekistani team Navbahor. Despite the presence of star-studded players like Ruben Neves, Malcom, and Aleksandar Mitrovic victory eluded them against their Uzbekistani counterparts. However, the match’s most noteworthy incident was Neymar’s loss of temper. When he forcefully pushed a rival player to the ground, leading to widespread criticism.

The match seemed to be slipping away from the Brazilian and his team until Al Hilal managed to score a crucial goal in injury time, finally breaking Navbahor’s determined resistance.

Neymar’s moment of madness, as he pushes his rival to the ground

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During the game, when Al Hilal found themselves trailing, Neymar lost his composure. The former Barcelona superstar stood over the ball for a free-kick, and it was in this heated moment that he lashed out at his rival player, Abror Ismailov. In a sudden fit of anger, Neymar pushed Ismailov to the ground before aggressively striking the ball at the fallen player. This moment of madness earned Neymar a yellow card and an avalanche of criticism from fans and pundits alike.

Journalist Danilo Lavieri criticized Neymar’s behavior as “beyond childish,” highlighting the fact that Ismailov, the rival involved in the incident, had provoked him and committed a hard foul earlier.

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Lavieri did not mince words when he described Neymar’s actions. He wrote, “Neymar performed a grotesque play in Al-Hilal’s draw today (18) against Navbahor, from Uzbekistan, in the first round of the Asian Champions League, in the middle of Saudi Arabia. The 1-1 reduces the damage that existed with the defeat until stoppage time, but it is still an embarrassment considering the difference between the two teams.”

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This incident marred Neymar’s outing in the AFC Champions League. Which was only his second appearance for Al Hilal following his high-profile move from Paris Saint-Germain. An ankle injury had kept him sidelined since his transfer to Saudi Arabia. Neymar recently made his Saudi Pro League debut for Al Hilal.

After breaking record, Neymar debuts for Al Hilal

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Despite the injury setback, Neymar made his Saudi Pro League debut for Al Hilal in a convincing 6-1 victory over Al Riyadh. He entered the pitch as a second-half substitute. He immediately made his presence felt by assisting in the team’s fifth goal.

Furthermore, Neymar also achieved a significant milestone in his career by surpassing Pelé’s record. Becoming Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, he scored twice in a dominating 5-1 win over Bolivia.

via Reuters

As Neymar continues his journey with Al Hilal, he has shown glimpses of his undeniable talent, both in his Saudi Pro League debut and his record-breaking performance for the Brazilian national team. However, it remains to be seen how this recent controversy will affect his reputation and future performances.

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Written by:

Sourav Kalita

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Sourav Jyoti Kalita is a soccer writer at EssentiallySports. Soccer has been a passion he follows since school days where he has participated extensively in matches where he looks for a chance to don the jersey and take the field. A fan of the glorious Red Devils, he also ardently supports his local team North East United that plays in the Indian Super League.
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Edited by:

Sreeda U M