Neymar will appeal three-game ban for run-in with a fan at French Cup

Neymar won’t play again at the Parc des Princes this season.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker was given a three-game ban on Friday for lashing out at a fan following a loss in the French Cup final last month, a punishment that capped another disappointing season for the Brazilian.

The French soccer federation’s disciplinary commission added a suspended two-match ban to its punishment.

PSG said in a statement it finds the sanction “severe” and has decided with Neymar to appeal.

After Rennes beat PSG 6-5 on penalties following a 2-2 draw in the final at the Stade de France, Neymar reacted angrily to a fan who was filming and verbally goading players as they walked up the stairs to collect their runner-up medals. Neymar exchanged a few words with the supporter then raised his hand to him. It was unclear if Neymar made physical contact with him.

Other PSG players, including Gianluigi Buffon and Marco Verratti, were verbally abused by the same person and ignored him.

PSG coach Thomas Tuchel criticized Neymar for the spat and Neymar later apologized.

The ban starts Monday, ruling Neymar out of PSG’s last two league games. He can, however, play with the French champions at Angers on Saturday.

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The forward will also miss the Champions Trophy between the French champions and the French Cup winners on Aug. 3.

Neymar has also been suspended for three games by UEFA for insulting the video review officials who awarded Manchester United’s stoppage-time penalty when PSG was eliminated from the Champions League in the last 16.

Neymar became the most expensive player in the world when he moved from Barcelona to PSG for about $250 million in 2017.