Vinicius to miss El Clasico after being handed 4-match ban for red card
(Courtesy : LaLiga)
Los Blancos will be missing their key man for the derby.
Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior will miss the El Clasico against FC Barcelona after being handed a four-match suspension for his red card in the LaLiga 2026-27 match against Villarreal.
Vinicius was shown a direct red card during Madrid’s league match against Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. The winger, who came on as a second-half substitute, found the back of the net for what he thought was Los Blancos’ second goal.
However, VAR alerted referee Isidro Díaz de Mera to an incident during the build-up of the goal, which showed Vini pulling the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba. The goal was eventually disallowed, and the Madrid player was given his marching orders.
The Madrid No. 7 has since apologised to the fans for his actions that saw him being sent off, leaving Madrid to defend their 1-0 lead with 10 men. The hosts eventually secured a narrow win.
Why Vinicius was banned for four matches?
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The Royal Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) disciplinary committee confirmed the suspension on Wednesday. Vinicius was handed a two-match ban for violent conduct and another two-match ban for his reaction to the referee’s decision.
The disciplinary committee revealed that the first two-match suspension was for “violent conduct, without the possibility of playing the ball”. The next two-match suspension was because of his reaction “with an aggressive attitude and having to be restrained by his teammates.”
As a result of his four-game ban, Vini will miss the next four LaLiga matches, including the blockbuster clash against Barcelona. However, the Brazilian will be available for all continental matches.
He started the UEFA Champions League match against AS Roma. He will also be available for the upcoming European fixtures against RB Leipzig and AEK Athens. The Brazilian has scored just once and registered three assists across all competitions this season.
Will Vinicius miss El Clasico against Barcelona?
Yes, he will miss Real Madrid’s El Clasico against FC Barcelona because of his four-match LaLiga suspension.
Why was Vinicius Junior banned for four matches?
He received a four-match ban for violent conduct and his reaction to the referee after being sent off against Villarreal in LaLiga.
How many matches will Vinicius Junior miss?
He will miss Real Madrid’s next four LaLiga matches but remains available for UEFA Champions League fixtures.
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