Neymar has told beIN SPORTS he needs to learn from the red card he was shown against Malaga, which saw him suspended for the Clasico at Real Madrid.
The Barcelona forward was cautioned in the first half for tying his laces as Malaga tried to take a free kick and was booked again after the break for a late challenge on Diego Llorente.
That earned him a one-game ban and his reaction to the dismissal -- sarcastically applauding the fourth official -- brought a further two-game suspension.
"I harmed myself and I've learned a lot from what happened," Neymar told beIN SPORTS.
"I think the second booking was correct, it was a foul. I was trying too hard to go for the ball.
"I wasn't protesting about getting sent off for that, but because of the first yellow card. It shouldn't have been shown -- it had nothing to do with the game. But I know that I have to learn from it."
Barca tried to get the ban overturned but conceded defeat on the morning of the Clasico when they confirmed that he would not play.
The Brazil star watched the match on television, but a video call to Lionel Messi allowed him to appear in the postmatch dressing room photographs via his teammate's mobile phone screen.
"I was desperate to play," Neymar said. "After the game I called Messi. That was when they took the photo, while we were still talking."
Messi, who has scored 51 goals this season, is moving into the final 12 months of his contract at the Camp Nou, although vice president Jordi Mestre said at the weekend there should be news on that front in the coming weeks.
And Neymar said: "Messi is an idol and a friend, someone I am lucky enough to train with every day.
"I have spent four years with him and I learn things from him every day: how to strike the ball, how to be alert during matches... he is not from this planet.
"I hope that he renews [his contract beyond 2018]; that Barca's people get working on it so that Leo stays here with us."