Vinicus Jr suspended for 4 games, to miss season's first El Clasico
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr has been handed a four-match suspension by the Spanish Football Federation’s disciplinary committee for pulling the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba during their LaLiga clash. The punishment rules the Brazilian out of the first El Clasico of the season, with Real Madrid set to face Barcelona on October 26.
The disciplinary committee imposed a two-match ban for the red-card offence and added another two matches for his protests towards the referee, according to its report covering the eighth round of LaLiga fixtures. Vinicius will consequently miss Real Madrid’s league matches against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander and Valencia.
The suspension is a significant setback for Real Madrid, who are already struggling to keep pace with Barcelona in the early stages of the league campaign. Vinicius has started all but one of Real’s matches this season, but the Spanish giants have lost two of their eight league games and sit fourth in the table, six points behind their arch-rivals.
VINICIUS APOLOGISES AFTER RED CARD
Vinicius was sent off during Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. The Brazilian, who came on as a substitute in the 52nd minute, was dismissed around 20 minutes later after a VAR review found that he had pulled Saliba’s hair in the build-up to what he thought was Real’s second goal. The effort was disallowed following the review.
Spanish Football Federation regulations classify pulling an opponent’s hair as violent conduct. Under Article 130, the punishment for violent conduct that does not cause injury can range from a one-match to a three-match suspension.
Following the match, Vinicius apologised to his teammates and the club’s supporters on social media, writing: “sorry to the team and the fans.”
However, the disciplinary committee imposed a four-match suspension, taking into account both the red-card offence and his protests towards the referee. The additional punishment means the 26-year-old will miss one of the most important fixtures on Real Madrid’s calendar.
REAL MADRID FACE BARCELONA TEST
The first El Clasico of the season is scheduled for October 26, with Real Madrid travelling to Camp Nou to face defending LaLiga champions Barcelona. The match comes at a crucial juncture for Real, who have already dropped points in the league and find themselves chasing a Barcelona side that has made a perfect start.
Barcelona have won all eight of their LaLiga matches so far, scoring 34 goals in a dominant attacking display. Real Madrid, by contrast, have suffered two defeats and are six points behind the league leaders.
Vinicius’ absence will leave head coach Jose Mourinho without one of his most frequently used attacking players for the trip to Barcelona. The Brazilian has also been in the spotlight in India, having played in Kolkata earlier in October, although his appearance failed to impress the fans.
With Barcelona in formidable form and Real Madrid already under pressure to close the gap at the top, Vinicius’ suspension adds another complication for Mourinho ahead of the season’s first El Clasico.
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