Brazil appeal Silva ban

The Brazilian Football Federation have lodged an appeal to FIFA in a bid to have captain Thiago Silva’s one-game suspension overturned.

Silva was ruled out of Brazil’s FIFA World Cup semi-final showdown with Germany after picking up a yellow card in the country’s 2-1 win over Colombia in Fortaleza on Friday – his second caution of the tournament.

The 29-year-old was cautioned for blocking Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina as he attempted to kick the ball in the 64th minute at the Estadio Governador Placido Aderaldo Castelo.

With Tuesday’s clash in Belo Horizonte looming, Brazil’s Football Federation (CBF) confirmed their intention to contest the ban in a statement released on Sunday.

“The CBF today requested the FIFA Disciplinary Committee cited the cancellation of a booking unfairly applied to the Brazilian player Thiago Silva by referee Carlos Velasco,” they said.

FIFA spokesperson Delia Fischer later revealed the governing body had received an appeal from the CBF, with the incident set to be analysed.

The news comes after star forward Neymar was ruled out of World Cup with a fractured vertebra sustained against Colombia.