‘Aching’ Neymar urges referees to stop rough treatment

Brazil’s star player Neymar has urged World Cup referees to ensure better protection after being fouled several times in the country’s World Cup opener against Switzerland.

Though he insisted they were fouls, the forward says he is prepared to accept those tackles from the defender players as normal. 

In the Rostov-on-Don Group ‘E’ match Switzerland held its own in a 1-1 draw against a heavily favoured Brazil.

One of the more controversial calls was when Steven Zuber appeared to push Miranda before heading home a second-half goal to equalise the game, reported Sporting News.

Neymar, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, was fouled 10 times by Swiss players during the course of the match.

Opta Sports, the world’s leading supplier of detailed sports data, said Neymar became the most fouled player in a World Cup game since England's Alan Shearer against Tunisia in 1998. 

Neymar returned in his first competitive fixture almost three months later after breaking a metatarsal in his right foot in February. He was seen limping at various moments in the game, but the player assuaged fears he had suffered another fitness problem. 

“They tried to hit me and that was aching. But it has nothing to worry, it is normal for cold one to get much ache but I am alright,” Neymar said.

The 26-year-old said referees should take steps considering these as fouls.

“But it is not for me to talk about. I guess it was a foul," he said.

"All I have to do is to play football, or try to do it. There are three professionals (referees) working for that. They have to do their job otherwise that will be normal (to be fouled regularly), we have to pay attention to it, but that's something normal in football."

Rodrigo Lasmar, chief physician of the Brazilian squad, said Neymar will be totally fit in his next fixture against Costa Rica on Friday.