Madrid game ban keeps Vinicius Junior out of El Clasico
Key takeaways
- Vinicius Junior got a four-match ban in La Liga, Spain's top league.
- The ban covers a hair pull and his angry protest to the referee.
- He will miss El Clasico, the big game against Barcelona.
Vinicius Junior will miss El Clasico. Spain's football body banned him for four league games. The ban came after a hair pull and a red card.
El Clasico is the big game between Real Madrid and Barcelona. It is one of world soccer's fiercest rivalries. Fans mark it on the calendar each season.
The ban covers four La Liga games. La Liga is Spain's top league. The first missed game is against Sevilla.
What happened
Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 at home. The game took place last Saturday. Vinicius came off the bench in the second half.
Fox Sports reported that he tugged hard on Nathan Saliba's hair. Saliba plays for Villarreal. The pull came on a fast break.
The pull came just before Vinicius scored a goal. Video review looked at the play again. The goal was ruled out.
VAR stands for video assistant referee. It lets officials check key plays on video. It caught the hair pull here.
Referee Isidro Díaz de Mera showed a straight red card. Fox Sports reported the card came in the 73rd minute. A red card sends a player off the field.
Vinicius then argued with the referee. Fox Sports reported that he screamed at the referee. His teammates held him back as he left.
Fox Sports reported the federation's decision on Wednesday. The ban has two parts. Two games are for the hair pull.
Two more games are for the protest to the referee. USA Today said officials called the hair pull a violent act. He was not fighting for the ball at the time.
Fox Sports quoted the referee's report on the protest. It said Vinicius raised his voice toward the referee. Teammates had to hold him back.
NBC Sports said this was his third red card with Real Madrid. It was his third sending-off as a senior player there. The club will now cope without him.
The red card left Real Madrid a man short. The team still won the game 1-0. The three points stayed in Madrid.
Why it matters
El Clasico is the game he will miss most. USA Today said it often shapes the title race. Barcelona host the game this time.
Real Madrid lose a key attacker for four games. He is a star forward for the club. His absence hurts the attack.
Fans on both sides treat it as the top game. A win there means bragging rights for months. That is why this ban hurts so much.
Madrid has two big clubs in La Liga. Atletico Madrid won its own big game this week. Real Madrid must now win without Vinicius.
The ban also shows how strict the rules are. A hair pull counts as a violent act. A protest can add more games.
The ban also tests the squad's depth. Other attackers must step up in four games. The coach must shuffle his attack.
What happens next
Vinicius will miss four league games in total. The first is at home against Sevilla on Sunday. The second is El Clasico at Barcelona.
The Clasico takes place on October 25. It is the second game of the ban. Real Madrid travel to Barcelona for it.
He will also miss games at Racing Santander and Valencia. Those are the third and fourth games of the ban. Then the league pauses for an international break.
The ban covers league games only. He can still play in the Champions League. Real Madrid face Roma in Europe on Wednesday.
He can also play against RB Leipzig and AEK Athens. Those European games fall during the ban. His league return comes after the break.
NBC Sports said he can return on November 22. The game is against Celta Vigo. That is the first league game after the break.
No appeal outcome was confirmed in the reports checked here. The four-game ban stands for now. Real Madrid must pick a team without him.
The coach must pick a new lineup. That choice will draw wide debate. The next few days will shape the plan.
The next big test comes on October 25. Barcelona will host the Clasico without Vinicius on the field. Real Madrid must find a way to win without him.
Also see Dodgers Brewers NLCS start time moved up for more sports news this week.
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