Real Madrid forward Vinícius Junior faces an expected suspension after receiving a direct red card for pulling an opponent’s hair during a 1-0 victory over Villarreal, leaving the club preparing to face Barcelona in the Clásico without the Brazilian star.
How Vinícius Junior Got Sent Off Against Villarreal
Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu during the eighth round of the Spanish league, but the match was overshadowed by a bizarre sequence involving the Brazilian winger. French midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni reached his 200th appearance for the club in the fixture, telling reporters he did not understand what was happening with the referees regarding the officiating decisions.
Vinícius started Saturday’s contest on the bench, watching 19-year-old newcomer Youssoufa Diomandé break the offside trap to score the opening goal in the 63rd minute. Vinícius entered the match in the 52nd minute. Eight minutes after the opening goal, the forward thought he had scored a second, only for video assistant referee reviews to overturn the goal and result in a direct red card.
Match official Díaz de Mera detailed in his official report that Vinícius was dismissed in the 73rd minute for pulling the hair of an opponent while the ball was in play, without any direct competition for the ball between them.
Referee Report Details Aggressive Protests and Disciplinary Rules
The referee’s official filing went beyond the initial hair-pulling incident. According to reports from MARCA, the match official noted that after receiving the red card, Vinícius remained on the pitch and continued protesting loudly, moving toward the referee in what was described as an aggressive manner before teammates intervened to pull him away.
The Technical Committee of Referees classifies pulling an opponent’s hair outside the contest for the ball under Category CV.1 for violent conduct, grouping it alongside elbowing, headbutting, punching, slapping, neck-grabbing, and kicking. Such violations carry a minimum two-match suspension under disciplinary regulations governing actions taken away from direct challenges for the ball.
“In cases where the expulsion is the result of incidents during which the player did not have the possibility of competing for the ball, the suspension penalty shall be at least two matches.”
La Liga Disciplinary Code, via Al Araby Al Jadeed
Real Madrid Prepares for Upcoming Fixtures Without Star Forward
Radio station Cadena COPE reported that Real Madrid expects a three-match ban while holding out hope of reducing the punishment to two matches on appeal. Even if the club succeeds in minimizing the ban, the expected suspension will rule the Brazilian out of the upcoming fixtures.
Real Madrid must first face Sevilla in league play before traveling to face Barcelona at the Camp Nou on October 25. Club officials are treating the player’s absence against their fierce rivals as a near certainty while awaiting the formal disciplinary ruling.
Tensions surrounding the club extended beyond the pitch.
