RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil has appealed to the Court of Arbitration in an attempt to reduce the international suspension of captain Neymar.

The Barcelona forward has served two matches of a four-game ban handed to him after his sending off in Brazil’s 1-0 Copa America defeat by Colombia in June.

The penalty applies only to competitive matches, leaving Neymar free to play in friendlies, as he did against Costa Rica in New Jersey on Saturday and will again against the United States in Foxborough, Boston, on Tuesday.

But the 23-year-old will miss Brazil’s opening 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Venezuela next month.

Brazil’s application to the CAS follows a failed appeal to world football federation FIFA.

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