Cavani, Semedo, Baca, Zuniga – A history of Neymar’s battles on the field

Cavani is not the first person Neymar will be fighting on the pitch, the Brazillian has been involved in many high profile on pitch scuffles.

Here is the list players the former Barcelona attacker battled on the pitch.

Edinson Cavani

The Uruguyuan striker is the latest victim of Neymar’s petulance on the football field. The ‘discussion’ that took place over who should take the penalty was embarrassing and L’Equipe reported that the two confronted each other in the dressing room after the game. It leaves Unai Emery and PSG in a very delicate situation with the transfer window just closed and a whole lot of football to be played this season.

Anthony Ralston

On his debut with PSG in the Champions League, Neymar and Ralston got into it and in a childish and unprofessional manner, forgetting he was the most expensive player in the world against a teenager, he reminded the 18-year-old Celtic player of the score afterwards. The Brazilian refused to shake the teenager’s hand after the game and mouthed something to him under his hand after the final whistle despite winning 5-0 on the night.

Nelson Semedo

Neymar was counting down the hours before he took off for Paris when he took part in a training session with Barcelona. He didn’t simply want to waste the time before the transfer went through, however, and he got involved in a bust-up with Nelson Semedo that was caught on camera and put further scrutiny on Barcelona’s seemingly dwindling squad togetherness. Neymar left the session and threw his bib to the ground before launching a football out of his way as he stormed off for good measure.

Carlos Bacca

In the Copa America in 2015, Neymar had a run-in with Carlos Bacca of Colombia. After the final whistle, in a game that Brazil lost 1-0, Neymar was sent off for driving a ball into the back of a celebrating Pablo Armero and after a little bit of a melee, Bacca arrived and sent Neymar flying with a push. Another act of insolence.

Unai Bustinza

During the final of the Copa del Rey in 2015 between Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, and with Barcelona leading 3-1 in the 86th minute, the Brazilian tried a rainbow flick that almost worked. He was fouled and the Athletic Bilbao players surrounded him as they saw it as a sign of disrespect. Not enough to beat their old rivals, they felt Neymar was on a mission to humiliate them. In the end, Xavi Hernandez was the one to calm everything down.

Juanfran Torres

The rivalry between Juanfran and Neymar whenever Atletico Madrid and Barcelona met was surefire and will be missed. The Atletico right-back made the 7-1 sign – the score as Brazil crashed out of the World Cup in 2014 to Germany – to Neymar after during one memorable game. On another occasion against Atletico, he feigned taking a free a couple of times, was booked, and had a whole host of Atletico players to answer to as they felt they were disrespected yet again.

Fernando Torres

It was after that Juanfran game at the Calderon when Neymar had to answer to Fernando Torres. He had been involved in a pushing and shouting match with Raul Garcia and Juanfran yet again but Torres came over as Iniesta tried to pull his teammate away. Neymar kept jawing and the whole thing nearly erupted again.

Juan Camilo Zúñiga

The Colombian defender was one of the great protagonists of Neymar’s career. The full-back put Neymar out of the quarter-final of the World Cup and later the two met again and tussled at a corner. Neymar did the action of a telephone and said, “later, you’ll call me to apologise, you son of a ….”

Coentrao and Pepe

In the Copa del Rey final 2014, the Brazilian striker was involved in a schmozzle with both Portuguese defenders after he appeared to dive to win a penalty in a tussle with Coentrao. The Portuguese did a diving motion when the ref ruled it was no penalty and Neymar stuck his head into the left-back. Pepe arrived to help and grabbed Neymar by the neck like a bold child and the whole thing calmed down.

Dorival Júnior

In 2010 and still a Santos player, Neymar was told he couldn’t take a penalty as the coach opted for another player to take it. Dorival Junior and Neymar got involved in a bust-up and the coach refused to recall the Brazilian attacker for the next game. Dorival Junior was sacked a few hours after the game as it became clear who was the boss at Santos.