Confederations Cup: Brazil slam Uruguay over Neymar diving comments

Diego Lugano (L) had called Neymar a diver before the Confederations Cup semifinal between Uruguay and Brazil which the hosts won after a late Paulinho header

Brazil’s Football Confederation (CBF) on Wednesday slammed Uruguayan skipper Diego Lugano for comments made hours before the rivals’ Confederations Cup semi-final labelling Neymar a diver.

“Lugano’s comments made ahead of the game are totally out of order,” said the CBF after the veteran defender Lugano claimed that Neymar goes down too easily.

“We have to watch out that nobody has the wool pulled over their eyes. He can go down easily and fool the referee,” said Lugano, on loan to Malaga from Paris Saint Germain.

A furious CBF said such comments brought the game into disrepute.

The CBF insisted Brazil’s young starlet won matches by dint of talent alone.

“What Lugano’s comments amount to is trying to put pressure on the referee so that possible harsh fouls on the Brazilian player go unpunished,” the CBF said in a statement.

“Lugano is utterly wrong when he questions Neymar’s on-field behaviour and casts doubt on what no football fan can doubt – that our number 10 does not need to resort to simulation to play football which charms and conquers the world.”

The CBF added that Neymar’s talents had been recognised with his three stellar performances at the competition so far as he scored in all three of Brazil’s group wins.

The CBF said Lugano’s comments also appeared to insinuate that Brazil wanted some “imaginary” kind of payback via Wednesday’s Chilean referee Enrique Osses for Brazilian support for Chile obtaining the right to host the 2015 Copa America.