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Neymar found himself embroiled in controversy once more after a physical confrontation with 18-year-old Santos teammate Robinho Jr.
The youngster, son of ex-Real Madrid and Manchester City striker Robinho, made international headlines when he filed a physical assault complaint against Neymar following a training session altercation on Sunday.
Robinho Jr. claimed the Brazilian superstar "threw offensive insults" at him, tripped him, and delivered "a violent slap across the face," according to ESPN. Santos initiated an investigation into the incident, led by the club's legal department.
The allegations sparked a worldwide media storm. Now, both Robinho Jr. and Neymar have addressed the heated clash and what lies ahead.
Robinho Jr. Explains Neymar Fight, Why He Filed Official Report
The training ground incident, which originated from Robinho Jr. dribbling past Neymar, could have remained within the Rei Pelé Training Centre and away from public attention. However, the teenager brought the matter to the club and, perhaps inadvertently, triggered a viral sensation.
On Tuesday, he addressed the media, confirming that Neymar had slapped him and explaining what led him to file a formal complaint, as well as where things currently stand between the two players.
"It was a situation that hurt me because [Neymar] has been my idol since childhood. He's someone I've admired deeply, ever since I was young. The first gift he gave me was when I was 8 years old, and I cried so much; I still have it to this day.
"Even if it was a mistake, he already apologized and owned up to it; he was man enough to admit what he did. I was also man enough to go up to him and talk things through, and everything is fine now. The people around us say a lot of things that aren't true, and it's unfortunate to see it escalate to this level. But I'm at peace, we've spoken, and everything has been resolved."
As if Robinho Jr.'s words weren't enough, Neymar celebrated his goal in Santos' 1–1 draw with Deportivo Recoleta by embracing the 18-year-old.
Neymar Issues Public Apology to Robinho Jr.
After Tuesday night's draw, Neymar stepped up to the microphone to publicly accept responsibility for the incident.
"If they want a public apology, here it is," Neymar said. "I had already apologized to [Robinho Jr.] and his family. I did overreact, yes, in how I handled it; it could have gone differently, but I ended up losing my temper.
"Everyone makes mistakes; it was my mistake, his mistake, I made a somewhat bigger mistake. We came together again on Monday, I apologized in front of the entire group, I spoke to everyone, he apologized too, and we thought it was settled."
Naturally, the story then spread across headlines and social media, a reaction that Neymar believes was "obviously" exaggerated.
"Anyone who plays football knows this happens: arguments, scuffles, slaps, all of it. That's football, it's part of the sport. Sometimes people get involved and end up interpreting these things in a very different way from how they actually are ... it ends up being blown way out of proportion."
The pair appear to have put the incident behind them, however, and are now focused on returning Santos to winning form. The Brazilian club has now gone seven consecutive matches without a victory.