Vinícius Júnior was sent off for pulling an opponent’s hair during Real Madrid’s La Liga match against Villarreal in Round 8. According to AS, the Brazilian winger could now miss the upcoming El Clásico against Barcelona as a result.

Vinícius was shown a red card for pulling the hair of Nathan Saliba and is expected to be charged with violent conduct. The final decision will depend on the referee’s report, as well as whether any additional punishment is imposed for showing disrespect to the referee while protesting the decision.

Based on the incident itself, however, Vinícius is expected to face a suspension of between two and three matches. In Spanish football, disciplinary authorities typically impose the minimum punishment within the applicable range. In this case, that would mean a two-match ban — exactly the number of league fixtures remaining before El Clásico.

As a result, Vinícius is highly likely to miss the showdown against Barcelona.

The most applicable provision is Article 103.2, which states: “Violent conduct outside the context of play, when the ball is not within playing distance or play has stopped, shall be punished with a suspension of two to three matches.”

As referee expert Iturralde González has pointed out, if the hair-pulling incident occurred while the ball was out of play, Real Madrid would have little chance of overturning the decision on appeal.

Even if Vinícius receives the minimum punishment of a two-match suspension, he would still miss the match at Camp Nou, as there are exactly two league fixtures remaining before El Clásico. Real Madrid are scheduled to host Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabéu next Sunday at 21:00, with the Clásico taking place the following week.

There is therefore no room for Vinícius to serve his suspension and return in time for the Barcelona clash. His participation is all but ruled out, pending the outcome of any appeal.

It is also worth noting that if the referee’s report records any disrespectful conduct towards the officials during the protests, the punishment could be more severe. The referee’s report, expected to be released tonight, will be crucial in determining the final outcome.