Dunga rues Neymar’s four-match ban

Brazil coach Dunga has described Neymar’s four-match suspension as a huge loss, not just for his team, but the Copa America.

The forward is set to miss the entire tournament, after a Conmebol disciplinary committee slammed the ban on him, following a red card against Colombia in their 1-0 defeat.

Dunga was reluctant to criticize his captain, but blamed the Colombian players for his sending off.

“Neymar is a huge figure in football,” he said. “The attention on him is big also. Everybody who likes football wants to see him on the field – like Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria and Alexis Sanchez. With him, the spectacle would be better, with more quality.

“If each one of us who made a mistake was cut, no-one would be here. We’re here to make them grow, not to search for guilty ones”.

Dunga also admitted that an appeal against the suspension would likely to be made.

“We’ll leave this to the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF),” he added. “They will present arguments on the measures taken against Neymar. We do not want anything in our favour. Let there be equal judgments for everybody in the competition. Only that.

“Our concern is on the game tomorrow and we want to make the best job possible, and also find solutions for the team”.

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