Brazil defeated Mexico 2-0 on Monday, with Neymar scoring the opener and assisting in the second goal. In the second half of the game, Neymar fell to the ground, with Layun stepping on his right leg seconds later.

“Neymar spends most of the match on the ground, and it’s not easy when all that is allowed. I did not step on him [on purpose], the referee confirmed that it was not intentionally,” Layun told journalists.

Mexico defender Rafael Marquez also accused Neymar of sometimes giving “circus sideshows."

In the quarter-finals, Brazil will play with either Belgium or Japan in Kazan on Friday.