Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has been handed a four-match ban and will be absent for the highly anticipated Clasico clash against Barcelona following his dismissal in last week's encounter with Villarreal. The Spanish football federation's disciplinary panel announced the decision on Wednesday.
The Brazilian international saw red after pulling the hair of defender Nathan Saliba during the match. The incident, confirmed through VAR review, also resulted in a goal he had netted being disallowed. The 26-year-old reacted furiously to the decision and had to be restrained by teammates as he confronted referee Isidro Diaz de Mera.
According to the disciplinary committee's ruling, Vinicius received a two-game suspension for "violent conduct while not in a position to contest the ball" and an additional two matches for his protests toward match officials. Beyond missing the Camp Nou fixture on October 25, he will also sit out league matches against Sevilla on October 18, Racing Santander on November 1, and Valencia on November 7.
Despite playing with 10 men following the dismissal, Jose Mourinho's fourth-placed Madrid secured a 1-0 victory, though they remain six points adrift of league leaders Barcelona. Manager Mourinho, equally frustrated with the officiating, declined to attend his post-match media obligations.
Vinicius later offered an apology via social media, stating: "I am sorry to the team and the fans." The winger has struggled for form this campaign, managing just one goal in nine appearances. He had been relegated to the bench for the Villarreal match, with the red card incident occurring approximately 20 minutes after entering as a substitute.
The upcoming visit to Barcelona's stadium will mark Mourinho's first Clasico since his summer return to the Madrid dugout. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick's Barcelona have been in imperious form, maintaining a flawless record with 10 victories from 10 matches across all competitions this season as they defend their back-to-back Spanish championship titles.
