Madrid’s autumn calendar has acquired an unwelcome complication after Vinicius Junior’s red card in Real Madrid’s 1-0 home win over Villarreal. The Brazilian forward is now in serious danger of missing the season’s first Clásico, with Barcelona due to receive Real at Camp Nou on 25 October.
Vinicius was dismissed for pulling the hair of Villarreal defender Saliba during Saturday’s eighth-round La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabéu. A two-match ban is considered the likely outcome, which would rule him out of the trip to Barcelona, while Real Madrid are also concerned that the punishment could extend to three games.
A brief appearance turns sour
- Vinicius began the match among the substitutes, with Diomandé selected in the starting side as Real sought to break down Villarreal.
- He entered seven minutes after half-time, at a stage when the score was still goalless, and gave the home attack greater urgency.
- Not long after his introduction, Diomandé put Real Madrid ahead, a goal that ultimately settled the match.
- In the 70th minute, Vinicius joined a counterattack and later arrived in the penalty area to finish the move. He celebrated emphatically, kissing the Real badge as team-mates surrounded him, while José Mourinho ran towards the touchline in celebration.
- The referee was then instructed to review an earlier clash involving Vinicius and Saliba. Video footage showed the Brazilian pulling his opponent’s hair during the breakaway.
- The goal was cancelled and Vinicius was shown a straight red card. He protested the decision angrily and had to be restrained by fellow Real players.
Clásico doubt grows
Real Madrid believe there is little room to alter the disciplinary outcome and regard a one-game suspension as highly unlikely. The expectation is that the aggressive nature of the incident, together with Vinicius’s reaction after the VAR review, will weigh heavily in the decision.
A two-game suspension would remove him from the Camp Nou meeting, a major absence for a side heading into one of the defining fixtures of the Spanish season. The possibility of a three-match ban has also been raised inside the club.
Vinicius apologises
Later on Saturday evening, Vinicius used social media to apologise to his Real Madrid team-mates and supporters. His dismissal came after an energetic cameo that had appeared to include a decisive goal, only for the VAR intervention to turn the occasion into a disciplinary issue with consequences stretching beyond the Bernabéu.
