Vinicius to miss El Clásico: ban of 1 to 4 matches after red card and reaction

Vinicius Jr. will not play in El Clásico on the 25th of this month at Camp Nou. The Brazilian's red card against Villarreal and, above all, his reaction afterwards mean the forward must serve a minimum ban of two matches, although the final punishment could reach four. The Disciplinary Committee will rule on Wednesday, and in every possible scenario, Real Madrid's number 7 will miss the clash with their eternal rivals.

• The report details a hair pull on Saliba with the ball in play but not being contested, which opens the door to a ban of between one and three matches.
• Vinicius' subsequent reaction, described as shouting protests with an aggressive attitude, adds at least one more match and could add two.
• The Disciplinary Committee will decide on Wednesday whether to apply article 130 or the sections referring to protests and contempt towards the referee.
• The Brazilian will definitely miss El Clásico on the 25th at Camp Nou.

What Isidro Díaz de Mera's report says about Vinicius' red card

The report from the Real Madrid-Villarreal match written by Isidro Díaz de Mera emerged overnight and focused all attention on Vinicius' red card. The referee described the action involving Villarreal player Saliba as follows: 'For pulling an opponent's hair, with the ball in play, without the ball being contested between them'. That wording leaves significant room for interpretation for the Disciplinary Committee.

The incident took place in the 71st minute, after the referee was alerted by Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz from the VAR room. In the audio itself, the video assistant referee already described the play as 'violent conduct'. Díaz de Mera reviewed the action on the monitor and decided to show a straight red card.

The possible bans for Vinicius over the hair pull on Saliba

The wording of the report leaves two possible sanctioning routes under article 130 of the Disciplinary Code, which deals with violence. The first option, more favorable for the player, is based on the fact that the ball was in play. That scenario carries a suspension of one to three matches or up to a month, provided the action creates risk but does not cause harmful consequences or injury.

However, the referee also noted that the ball was not being contested between the two players. That detail opens the door for the Committee to apply the second paragraph of the same article, which punishes violent actions carried out away from the play or without the possibility of contesting the ball with a two to three match ban. It will be up to the three Committee members to decide which scenario the action fits better.

Vinicius' reaction after the red card, another key factor

The sending-off was not the only thing Díaz de Mera recorded in his report. The referee described the Brazilian's reaction as follows: 'Once sent off and while still on the pitch, he continued to protest my decision, shouting loudly, moving towards where I was with an aggressive attitude, having to be held back by his teammates, without being able to make out any specific expression'.

That behavior opens a second front for the forward. If it is classified as conduct contrary to good sporting order, the range goes from one to four matches, although in minor cases the minimum is usually applied. The other route is harsher: the Committee could interpret it as protesting to the referee under article 127 or as contempt under article 124, both carrying a two to three match punishment.

How many matches Vinicius could be suspended for

Looking at all the elements together, the most favorable scenario for Vinicius would be a two-match suspension: one for the red card and another for his subsequent reaction. That is the minimum applicable and would already rule him out of El Clásico. The intermediate scenario would take him to three matches, either combining the sending-off with the later protest or applying two for the violent action and one for his attitude.

The worst-case scenario includes up to four matches of suspension: two for violent conduct away from the play and two more for his immediate reaction. Either way, the Brazilian misses the match on the 25th at Camp Nou, a fixture marked by the LaLiga title race and the weight these absences always carry in Real Madrid's calendar.

What Real Madrid stand to lose with Vinicius out of El Clásico

Vinicius' absence forces Carlo Ancelotti to restructure his attack in one of the most important matches of the campaign. The Brazilian is one of the most dangerous players in the Madrid squad, and his absence comes just as the final stretch of LaLiga begins to shape the table. El Clásico at Camp Nou always carries extra weight, even more so with both teams involved in the fight for European qualification and the top of the competition.

Frequently asked questions about Vinicius' suspension