Barcelona in last-gasp bid to have banned Neymar back for Clasico

The New York Times 20:01 - 21 April 2017

Barcelona's forward Neymar gestures after the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match against Juventus April 19, 2017

Barcelona made a last-gasp bid to have star striker Neymar back for Sundays critical Clasico clash with an appeal to a Spanish sports court against his three-game ban.

As it stands the 25-year-old is set to miss the blockbuster showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu after being shown the first red card of his Barcelona career for two bookable offences in a 2-0 defeat at Malaga earlier this month that badly dented their hopes of retaining the Spanish title.

"With the Appeal Committee (Spanish federation) dismissing FC Barcelona's appeal for the three-match suspension of Neymar Jr, the club will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (in Spain)," Barcelona said in a statement.

Neymar has already missed Barcelona's 3-2 win over Real Sociedad and will also miss Wednesday's game against Osasuna if the Spanish court (TAD) turns down the appeal.