Vinícius Júnior has received a four-match suspension from the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee following his red card against Villarreal, SPORT1 reported. The sanction sidelines the Real Madrid forward for upcoming league fixtures, including the marquee Clásico against Barcelona.
Disciplinary Committee Sanctions Two Infractions
The disciplinary body divided the four-match ban into two distinct penalties based on separate incidents during the match. The committee issued a two-game suspension after determining that Vinícius pulled the hair of Villarreal opponent Nathan Saliba away from a direct challenge for the ball. According to the committee’s ruling, the action constituted an act of violent conduct outside of general game play, meeting the mandatory minimum suspension threshold for the offense. Real Madrid lodged an appeal arguing that the contact occurred unintentionally during a scramble while the player still contested the ball, but the committee rejected the defense.
Vinícius Júnior has been suspended for four games, including the first ElClásico of the season, after being red-carded for pulling an opponent's hair during his team's win over Villarreal on Saturday.More:https://t.co/ifjQ2v1SYu pic.twitter.com/yr53FfSp9Q
An additional two-match ban was levied for the player’s subsequent protests directed at referee Isidro Diaz de Mera. The match official’s report noted an aggressive posture from the Real Madrid forward, who required physical restraint from his teammates following the intervention of the video assistant referee. The committee evaluated this reaction as a separate, independent infraction.
Disputed Incident and Match Context
The flashpoint occurred after Vinícius put the ball in the net, only for the goal to be disallowed following a VAR review. Referee Diaz de Mera checked the pitchside monitor before issuing a red card to the Brazilian attacker. Following the final whistle, the 26-year-old forward published a social media apology addressing his teammates and supporters for leaving the side short-handed.
Upcoming Fixtures Affected by the Ban
The suspension removes Vinícius from four consecutive La Liga matches. He will miss fixtures against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing, and Valencia, clearing his domestic suspension in time for a return following the November international break.
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