Brazil coach Tite praised Neymar’s performance in the 5-0 battering of Bolivia in World Cup qualifying, but urged the star forward to learn from the yellow card he picked up that leaves him suspended for the meeting with Venezuela.
The Barcelona star scored one and assisted two others as Brazil put Bolivia to the sword in Rio Grande do Norte.
However, Neymar – who had been on the end of a series of niggling fouls – received a caution for dissent that leaves him suspended for Tuesday’s contest.
And Tite feels there are lessons to be learnt.
“There were mistakes from the referee, with an excess of fouls derived from a lack of punishment to them,” he told a post-match news conference.
“And we – Neymar and me – we need maturity to understand that we’ll have to bear these kind of situations, too.
“What happens sometimes, and it did happen, regarding the card, was – in the first place – an excessive amount of fouls aimed to emotionally destabilise the squad, to provoke situations.
“You can say ‘okay, the fouls are from the game and it’s the referee’s problem’. It’s my responsibility as a manager to guide the player.”
On Neymar’s absence, he added: “The team must be strong without Neymar. It is inhumane to put everything on Neymar.”
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