Vinicius ban decision delayed to Thursday, not Wednesday

Real Madrid and Vinicius Junior will have to wait until Thursday to learn the Brazilian's punishment for his red card against Villarreal last Saturday. The Disciplinary Committee will not announce its ruling on Wednesday, as is customary, but one day later. The delay stems from the hearing process set out in the Disciplinary Code and the national holiday on Monday for Spain's National Day.

• The Disciplinary Committee will announce Vinicius Junior's sanction on Thursday, not Wednesday as usual.
• The deadline to submit appeals extends because Monday was a public holiday for Spain's National Day.
• The punishment would start at a minimum of two matches: one for the red card and one for his reaction afterwards.
• The referee's report states Vinicius kept protesting loudly with an aggressive attitude after being sent off.
• Real Madrid host Sevilla on Sunday at 9:00 pm at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Why the Disciplinary Committee delayed the Vinicius decision

The explanation lies in Article 24 of the Disciplinary Code, which regulates the hearing procedure. Those involved can submit appeals until 2:00 pm on the second business day after the match. With Monday a public holiday and Sunday not considered a business day, Wednesday becomes that second business day. As a result, Real Madrid, Vinicius and other affected parties have until midday tomorrow to present their arguments.

Once that deadline passes, the Disciplinary Committee needs time to review the written submissions and reach a decision. That is why the final ruling is not expected before Thursday. There is no urgency: the next LaLiga matchday starts on Friday, and the Spanish champions do not play until Sunday night against Sevilla in Chamartin.

How many matches Vinicius could miss

The red card itself carries an automatic one-match suspension. But the forward's reaction afterwards, detailed in the referee's match report, could raise the ban to two matches or even more. The official wrote that Vinicius, already sent off and still on the pitch, continued to protest the decision at the top of his voice, moved towards the referee's position with an aggressive attitude, and had to be restrained by his own teammates.

That description does not cap the sanction at a fixed number. On the contrary, it gives the Committee room to impose a suspension beyond the minimum two matches. Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code also states that referees' decisions on facts related to the game are final and presumed true, unless there is clear material error. A principle that considerably limits Real Madrid's room for defence.

What the referee's report says about Vinicius Junior's red card

Once sent off and still on the field of play, he continued to protest my decision, shouting, moving towards the area where I was with an aggressive attitude, and had to be restrained by his teammates, without me being able to distinguish any specific expression.

The referee's wording is crucial to understanding the potential extent of the ban. Although no specific insulting expression is noted, the insistence on a raised tone and aggressive demeanour paints a picture of continuous dissent that the Disciplinary Code treats harshly. That is why Real Madrid may focus their strategy on reducing the number of matches rather than eliminating the sanction altogether.

Which matches Vinicius would miss with a two-game ban

If the final punishment is two matches, the Brazilian would sit out Sevilla's visit to Chamartin and Real Madrid's next away fixture. The league schedule puts Carlo Ancelotti's side against the Andalusian club on Sunday at the Bernabeu. After that, another LaLiga commitment awaits before the team faces a run of European and domestic games in successive weeks.

Vinicius' absence over the immediate stretch would force the Italian coach to reshuffle his attack. The Brazilian is a key figure in the Madrid system because of his ability to take on defenders and create advantages. Missing him for two matchdays would be a significant setback, although the squad has top-level attacking alternatives to cover that absence.

Rayo Vallecano-Athletic Club suspension ruling also expected Thursday

The Vinicius case will not be the only one arriving late. The Disciplinary Committee will also decide on Thursday what happens with the suspended Rayo Vallecano-Athletic Club match. It remains to be seen both when the rest of the fixture will be played and what disciplinary consequences may fall on the Vallecas club.

Both issues share the same procedural calendar. The hearing period closes on Wednesday at 2:00 pm, meaning the disciplinary body will resolve both cases together one day later.