Overview
- The sending off came seconds before the second half of Santos v. Bahia after Neymar approached Bahia midfielder Rodrigo Néstor following a first‑half altercation near the 31st minute on Sunday.
- VAR alerted referee Sávio Pereira Sampaio, who reviewed footage showing Neymar with his hand over his mouth and applied the mouth‑covering protocol known as the Ley Vinícius or Ley Prestianni that can justify a direct red card.
- After the red card Neymar confronted Rodrigo Néstor on the touchline, was restrained by teammates, and the match was paused before Santos salvaged a 1–1 draw with a stoppage‑time equalizer by Luan Peres.
- Reports say the red card carries a two‑match suspension that will rule Neymar out of Santos’s upcoming fixtures with Palmeiras and, because of accumulated cautions, Bragantino.
- Coverage highlights conflicting accounts—Néstor says he was insulted and disrespected, Neymar says he made a mistaken gesture—and the decision has renewed debate over how VAR enforces mouth‑covering rules and the competitive impact on Santos as the season closes.