Vinicius Jr. Receives Four-Game Ban for Hair Pull, Will Miss El Clásico

Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has been suspended for four matches after receiving a direct red card for violent conduct during a recent 1-0 victory over Villarreal. The ban will cause him to miss the crucial El Clásico clash against rivals Barcelona next week, with Real Madrid currently trailing in La Liga.

The Brazilian forward was sent off on Saturday for pulling the hair of Villarreal's Nathan Saliba. In his match report, referee Isidro Díaz de Mera noted that Vinicius Junior "continued to protest my decision loudly, heading towards the area where I was with an aggressive attitude" after being shown the red card. The report also stated that teammates had to restrain the player before he left the field, and he appeared to shove a La Liga official.

Vinicius Junior expressed his astonishment at the ban, stating, "We've never had this [hair pulling] explained to us." He added, "Someone from La Liga and the referees' association always comes to explain the rules, but never this specific point. It was a red card for me, simple as that... I've never been violent towards another player. I get hit quite a lot, yet the cards end up going to me."

Following the incident, Vinicius Junior posted a brief apology on Instagram to his team and fans. However, he also shared clips from other matches where he felt players should have been sent off but were not, with the caption, "And the one who always sees yellow and red is Vinicius. A disgrace."

The suspension applies only to domestic competitions, meaning Vinicius Junior will miss league fixtures against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia. He will be eligible to return for the match against Celta Vigo on November 22. He will, however, be permitted to play in Champions League matches against RB Leipzig and AEK Athens during this period.

Spanish press reports suggest Real Madrid may appeal the suspension. Manager Jose Mourinho declined to comment on the ban in his post-match press conference, stating, "I’m not going to speak because I want to be on the bench against Sevilla and Barcelona."

Vinicius Junior's form this season has seen him score once and provide three assists in eight games. Mourinho expressed confidence in the player, telling TNT Sports, "He is going to emerge. It is just a question of when."

Coincidentally, Vinicius Junior thought he had scored against Villarreal, but the goal was disallowed after the referee reviewed the hair-pull incident in the build-up. Real Madrid is currently fourth in La Liga, six points behind league leaders Barcelona. The team recently secured a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory against Roma in the Champions League.