Vinicius Jr Handed Four-Match LaLiga Ban, Set to Miss Barcelona Clasico
Vinicius Junior will miss Real Madrid’s LaLiga fixtures until the November international break after receiving a four-match suspension, including the upcoming Clasico against Barcelona.
The punishment follows his dismissal during Madrid’s match with Villarreal, when the Brazilian was sent off after pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair. The incident escalated as Vinicius confronted referee Isidro Diaz de Mera, resisted Endrick’s efforts to calm him and pushed past a LaLiga official near the VAR area before heading down the Bernabeu tunnel.
Quick facts
- Vinicius has been suspended for four LaLiga matches.
- Two games relate to the incident involving Nathan Saliba.
- Two further matches were added for his conduct towards referee Isidro Diaz de Mera.
- The ban rules him out of the Clasico against Barcelona.
- He has said he has been fouled 500 times, with only five red cards shown to opponents.
The disciplinary committee split the sanction into two separate two-match bans. Vinicius is therefore unavailable for a significant run of league matches, with his domestic return not due until after the international break.
Endrick described the decision as excessive and said the squad had feared a longer punishment than the usual sanction for a straight red card. He argued that Vinicius has faced particular scrutiny and backed his teammate to return strongly once eligible again.
Vinicius has also renewed his criticism of how Spanish football protects attacking players. After Real Madrid’s chaotic 4-3 Champions League victory over Roma, he said officials should do more for players whose dribbling and creativity make them frequent targets.
He pointed to a personal statistic of 500 fouls against him, producing five opposition red cards and an unspecified number of cautions, while saying yellow cards often appear to go his way instead. Vinicius cited Barcelona’s Lamine and Atletico’s Julián among the players he believes require greater protection.
Madrid’s win over Roma had also underlined his frustration with his own performance. The side trailed 3-1 before a late turnaround, and Vinicius reacted unhappily when he was substituted.
He later said his reaction was natural because he always wants to contribute, but praised the changes made from the bench. Vinicius singled out Endrick for changing the match and called him the standout player, while Carlos Espi scored shortly after coming on.
The winger accepted that he had not reached his best level against Roma, but insisted he would recover his form. Madrid must now navigate a demanding league period without him, culminating in the Barcelona meeting he is set to miss.
