Neymar to miss El Clasico

Neymar will miss Barcelona's crucial Clasico against Real Madrid after the club lost patience with an appeal with the Spanish Sports Tribunal (TAD) over his suspension, goal.com reported.

The Brazil star was shown a red card in Barca's 2-0 defeat at Malaga and earned an additional two-match ban for sarcastically applauding an assistant referee on his way down the tunnel.

Neymar served his automatic ban in Barca's 3-2 win over Real Sociedad, but the club appealed against the additional punishment to the Spanish Football Federation before escalating the issue once that appeal was rejected.

But with uncertainty over TAD's decision on the ruling, Barca have opted to take matters into their own hands.


"Given the uncertainty in the lack of pronouncement from the Spanish Sports Tribunal (TAD) within 12 hours of the match tonight [Sunday], and all the attention focused on the sporting side, the club has chosen not to call the player Neymar JR," a Barca statement read.

Barca went on to express their "astonishment" at TAD's "refusal to exercise their judicial functions".

It marks a blow for head coach Luis Enrique with Barca aiming to close the gap on their fierce rivals, with Madrid three points ahead with a game in hand ahead of the contest at Santiago Bernabeu.