Vinicius Risks Missing Barcelona Clash After Red Card for Hair Pulling

Vinicius Jr has apologised to Real Madrid’s players and supporters following his dismissal in their 1-0 win over Villarreal, as the forward faces the possibility of missing the upcoming El Clasico against Barcelona through suspension.

The Brazilian was shown a red card during Saturday’s La Liga fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu after VAR officials reviewed footage of him pulling Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba’s hair.

The incident happened during the build-up to a goal Vinicius believed was his second of the game. However, the goal was ruled out after referee Isidro Diaz de Mera reviewed the footage on the pitchside monitor.

Vinicius subsequently received his marching orders, having come on as a substitute in the 52nd minute. His dismissal came roughly 20 minutes after his introduction.

The incident unfolded during celebrations after the forward thought he had scored to increase Real Madrid’s advantage. Manager Jose Mourinho had joined in the celebrations before the referee was called to review the incident.

After the goal was disallowed and the red card was issued, Vinicius expressed his frustration by shouting at the referee. His teammates attempted to restrain and calm him as he made his way off the pitch.

The 26-year-old later acknowledged the incident in a social media post, apologising with the words: “sorry to the team and the fans”.

Villarreal defender Juan Foyth offered his assessment of the incident, conceding that the decision to send Vinicius off was justified while suggesting there was no deliberate intention to injure Saliba.

“I don’t think he meant to hurt anyone, but it is a red card,” Foyth said.

Referee Diaz de Mera also detailed Vinicius’ reaction in his match report, stating that the forward “protested my decision, raising his voice, toward where I was standing in an aggressive manner, and being held back by teammates”.

The incident could have further consequences for the Real Madrid attacker. Under Royal Spanish Football Federation rules, hair-pulling is classified as violent conduct, while Article 130 of the league’s disciplinary regulations allows suspensions ranging from one to three matches when such conduct does not cause injury.

The disciplinary committee will determine the length of Vinicius’ suspension, with the decision potentially affecting Real Madrid’s next three league fixtures against Sevilla, Barcelona and Racing Santander.

Missing the Barcelona match would represent a significant setback for Real Madrid, as El Clasico remains a crucial fixture in the battle for the Spanish league title.

Despite the controversy surrounding Vinicius’ dismissal, Real Madrid held on to claim a 1-0 victory over Villarreal. However, the club could be without one of its most important attacking players if the suspension extends to the Barcelona encounter.

Meanwhile, Mourinho was absent from the mandatory post-match news conference after Saturday’s game.

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