Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has been handed a four-match suspension in LaLiga by the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The punishment means the Brazilian star will miss the high-profile El Clásico against Barcelona scheduled for October 25, 2026.
What Led to the Suspension?
The incident that resulted in the suspension occurred during the LaLiga match between Real Madrid and Villarreal on Saturday, October 10, 2026. Real Madrid won the match 1-0.
Vinicius, who came on as a second-half substitute, was shown a red card in the 73rd minute after the referee reviewed the incident with the assistance of VAR. Footage showed the forward pulling Villarreal player Nathan Saliba’s hair while the two were contesting the ball.
The incident also led to a goal Vinicius scored later in the match being disallowed.
Why Was He Suspended for Four Matches?
The RFEF Disciplinary Committee divided the punishment into two parts:
Two matches: For pulling an opponent’s hair when the ball was not being directly contested between them.
Two additional matches: For protesting the referee’s decision in a manner described as aggressive after being shown the red card.
This brings the total suspension to four league matches. The committee also rejected Real Madrid’s defence arguments regarding the incident that led to the red card.
Matches Vinicius Will Miss
As a result of the suspension, Vinicius will miss the following LaLiga fixtures:
Real Madrid vs Sevilla — October 18, 2026.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid — October 25, 2026.
Racing Santander vs Real Madrid — November 1, 2026.
Valencia vs Real Madrid — November 7, 2026.
