Neymar Champions League ban appeal rejected

Neymar’s appeal against his three-match European ban has been rejected by UEFA.

The Brazil forward was sanctioned for insulting match officials following Paris Saint-Germain’s dramatic Champions League exit at the hands of Manchester United in March.

United progressed on the away goals rule after a VAR review saw Presnel Kimpembe penalised for handball in stoppage time at the Parc des Princes, with Marcus Rashford dispatching the resulting penalty.

The punishment means Neymar will miss the first three group matches of the 2019-20 Champions League.

Whether those are games he takes in as a PSG player is a moot point, given the 27-year-old has been linked with what would be a sensational return to Barcelona over recent days.

Neymar is absent from Brazil’s ongoing Copa America campaign due to ankle ligament damage.