Vinicius Banned For Four Matches, Set To Miss El Clasico
Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior has been handed a four-match suspension following his dismissal in the club’s 1-0 victory over Villarreal, ruling him out of the blockbuster El Clasico clash against Barcelona on October 25.
The Brazilian winger was introduced in the second half at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday and appeared to have made an immediate impact after finding the net. However, his goal was disallowed before he was shown a straight red card for pulling the hair of Villarreal’s Nathan Saliba.
Vinicius’ afternoon worsened as he protested angrily against the referee following his dismissal, with teammates forced to restrain him as he left the pitch.
According to reports, the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) Disciplinary Committee imposed the four-match ban, handing the 26-year-old a significant setback ahead of one of the biggest fixtures in Spanish football.
Two matches of the suspension were imposed for violent conduct under Article 130.2 of the RFEF disciplinary code, while the remaining two were for protesting against the referee under Article 127.
The punishment means Vinicius will miss Real Madrid’s La Liga encounter with Sevilla this weekend, the El Clasico showdown against Barcelona on October 25, and subsequent fixtures against Racing Santander and Valencia.
He is expected to return for Madrid’s clash with Celta Vigo, scheduled for the weekend of November 20-23.
Real Madrid are reportedly considering an appeal in a bid to reduce the suspension, although their chances of success remain uncertain.
Vinicius’ absence would be a major blow to Madrid as they prepare to face their fiercest rivals, with the Brazilian among the club’s most influential attacking players.
