Neymar had a turbulent French Ligue 1 return for Paris Saint-Germain with the Brazilian superstar sent off for striking Marseille opponent Alvaro Gonzalez, whom he later accused of racism.
The PSG ace was among five players sent off in stoppage time on Sunday as Marseille won 1-0 - for their first victory over their rivals in nine years.
Neymar received a straight red after an altercation with Spaniard Gonzalez - with the VAR showing he aimed a jab to the back of the Marseille defender's head.
As he went off, Neymar told officials that he had been racially abused.
After the game he wrote on Twitter, "The only regret is not hitting that idiot in the face."
He later tweeted, "It's easy for VAR (video assistant referee) to see my 'aggression'. Now I want to see it capturing the image where the racist calls me 'monkey'. That's what I want to see."
The game ended with PSG defender Layvin Kurzawa and Marseille counterpart Jordan Amavi sent off for fighting in the seventh minute of injury time at Parc des Princes.
PSG's Leandro Paredes and Marseille's Dario Benedetto soon followed before Neymar's expulsion.
The Brazilian later doubled down on his accusation on Twitter, "You are not a man to assume your mistake, losing is part of the sport. Now insulting and bringing racism into our lives no, I don't agree. I DON'T RESPECT YOU! YOU HAVE NO CHARACTER!"
Gonzalez responded and denied making any racist comment, instead claiming Neymar was a sore loser.
"There is no place for racism. Clean race and with many colleagues and friends on a daily basis. Sometimes you have to learn to lose and take it on the field. Incredible 3 points today," he tweeted.
Gonzalez's coach Andre Villas-Boas backed his player.
"It's a serious wrongdoing if that's the case but I don't think so," Villas-Boas said.
PSG coach Thomas Tuchel said he didn't hear anything racist from his vantage point on the touchline but did confirm that Neymar told him that he was racially insulted.
"Racism in life, in all domains, in sport, should not exist," Tuchel said.
The German was, however, unimpressed by the reaction of his team as tempers frayed.
"I didn't like our reaction in the last three minutes. I don't agree with that, it was too much," he said.
Australian Associated Press
