Vinicius Junior Handed Four-Match Ban, Will Miss El Clasico
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior will miss the Clasico at Barcelona on October 25 after being hit with a four-match suspension on Wednesday for his hair-pulling red card against Villarreal. The Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee confirmed the ban, which strips Jose Mourinho of his star forward for the biggest fixture of the season so far.
The vinicius junior four-match ban covers both the red card and the Brazilian’s furious reaction to it. The committee said he would sit out two games for violent behaviour, described as acting violently while not being in a position to challenge for the ball, and two more for his protests to the match officials.
What happened against Villarreal
Vinicius was dismissed in Madrid’s La Liga match against Villarreal after a VAR review showed him pulling the hair of Nathan Saliba. The review also chalked off a goal he had scored in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
The 26-year-old reacted angrily to the decision. Teammates had to hold him back as he remonstrated with referee Isidro Diaz de Mera. Mourinho was also incensed by the officiating and refused to take part in his post-match press conference.
Despite the red card, Madrid ground out a 1-0 win. The result kept the fourth-placed side six points behind Barcelona, who sit top of the table.
Which games Vinicius misses
Beyond the trip to Camp Nou, the ban rules Vinicius out of three more La Liga fixtures: Sevilla on October 18, Racing Santander on November 1, and Valencia on November 7.
The timing is cruel for the winger. Madrid’s visit to Barcelona will be Mourinho’s first Clasico since returning as coach of Los Blancos this summer, and Barcelona arrive in intimidating form. Hansi Flick’s side are back-to-back Spanish champions and boast a perfect record of ten wins from ten matches this season across all competitions.
Losing Vinicius, their most explosive attacker, hands Flick a clear tactical advantage. Madrid must now find goals from elsewhere for a month, a stretch that also includes testing fixtures against Sevilla and Valencia.
A season to forget so far
The suspension adds to a difficult start to the campaign for the Brazilian. He has scored just once in nine appearances this season and was dropped to the bench for the Villarreal match, coming on as a substitute about twenty minutes before the red card.
Vinicius apologised to his teammates and the club’s supporters after the match. “I am sorry to the team and the fans,” he wrote on social media. The contrition will not shorten the ban, but it may help repair his standing with a fan base that expects more from one of the world’s best-paid forwards.
FAQ
Why was Vinicius Junior banned for four matches?
He received a red card for pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair during Real Madrid’s match against Villarreal. The federation’s disciplinary committee added two games for violent behaviour and two more for his protests to the referee after the dismissal.
Which matches will Vinicius Junior miss?
He misses Sevilla on October 18, Barcelona in El Clasico on October 25, Racing Santander on November 1, and Valencia on November 7, all in La Liga.
How far behind Barcelona are Real Madrid?
Madrid sit fourth, six points behind league leaders Barcelona, who have won all ten of their matches this season across all competitions.
Is this Mourinho’s first Clasico as Madrid coach again?
Yes. Madrid’s visit to Camp Nou on October 25 will be Jose Mourinho’s first Clasico since returning to the club this summer.
