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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Rich Jones

UEFA respond after Neymar breaks protocol ahead of Champions League final

Neymar is facing no further action from UEFA after he broke their coronavirus protocol this week.

The Paris Saint-Germain star fired his side into their first Champions League final on Tuesday night.

The Brazilian was at his dazzling best as PSG thrashed RB Leipzig 3-0 to set up a mouth-watering clash with Bayern Munich in Lisbon.

But he risked the wrath of UEFA after the game - as he broke their new 'Return to Play' protocol by swapping his shirt with Marcel Halstenberg.

The striker was filmed swapping shirts with the left-back in front of two officials in a seemingly innocent gesture.

The shirt swap goes against recent new guidelines designed to stop the spread of coronavirus and there were some suggestions he could be banned from the final as a result.

UEFA’s recent 'Return to Play' document states that “players are recommended to refrain from swapping their shirts”.

It adds that: “non-compliance with the obligations set out in the UEFA Protocol may lead to disciplinary measures in accordance with the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations.”

But, as shirt swapping is a recommendation rather than an obligation, it has been confirmed Neymar faces no further action.

The Brazilian faces no further action and will play against Bayern Munich (AFP via Getty Images)

Will PSG win the Champions League final? Have your say below.

He is not the only player to ignore the recommendation, with multiple other players swapping shirts with opponents after recent games.

Neymar does have history with UEFA.

He was handed a three-game ban and missed the start of this season’s competition after being charged with insulting match officials after their defeat to Manchester United in the last-16 the previous year.

After watching from the sidelines due to a foot injury, Neymar took to Instagram to vent his anger at the officials in an explicit post following a late penalty which knocked them out.

He wrote: “This is a disgrace. They put four people that know nothing about football in charge of looking at the replay for VAR.

“There is no penalty. How can it be a handball when it hits his back! Go f*** yourselves!”

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