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Sept. 15 (UPI) -- Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. took to social media to criticize a referee who gave him a yellow card, prompted by his celebration after a goal he scored in Paris Saint-Germain's recent Champions League win. The striker received the card after he scored the final goal in the 3-1 group stage victory over Maccabi Haifa on Wednesday in Haifa, Israel.
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Neymar scored PSG's third goal on a breakaway in the 88th minute. Midfielder Marco Verratti held the ball on the right flank before he spotted Neymar crossing midfield. He then fired a deep pass just ahead of the box. Neymar corralled the feed and used his left foot to finish into the right side of the net.
Neymar put his hands on the side of his head and stuck out his tongue toward the crowd after the score, the same celebration he uses after most of his goals. The nearby referee then showed him a yellow card.
"Total lack of respect for the athlete," Neymar tweeted Wednesday night. "This kind of thing can't happen. I take the yellow for simply not having done anything and I continue to be harmed.
"And the referee? Not even to say he was wrong. He will! A lot of lack of respect."
Neymar also addressed the situation on Instagram.
"Another victory, congratulations, but we move on right? There it is; a celebration is a yellow card, another one for the list ... haha," Neymar said in an Instagram story. "It's only with me that these things happen to. Next time, I will warn the referee's that I am going to do it."
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe also scored in PSG's win. The French Ligue 1 squad will play Lyon at 2:45 pm. EDT Sunday in Lyon, France.
