Real Madrid Star Set to Miss Barcelona Clash as Four-Match Ban Threat Emerges

According to a report by Madrid Universal on Sunday October 11, 2026, Vinicius Junior, a Brazilian forward for Real Madrid, was sent off in their 1-0 La Liga win over Villarreal, meaning he may miss their forthcoming El Clasico match against Barcelona.

Officials’ evaluations of the events leading up to the winger’s dismissal will determine the length of the punishment, which could include a suspension of two matches or more.

Mundo Deportivo reports that referee Isidro Diaz de Mera split Vinicius’s red card reaction and the alleged pulling of an opponent’s hair into two separate incidents.

As the ball was still in play, Vinicius controversially tugged on Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba’s hair in the 71st minute. Before VAR suggested reviewing the decision, the referee let the match go on.

The referee ejected the Brazilian for violent behavior after reviewing the incident. Reportedly, the report highlighted the fact that the hair-pulling happened while neither player was vying for possession, which could sway the disciplinary committee’s verdict.

On Wednesday, the case will likely be reviewed by Spain’s Disciplinary Committee. A suspension of one to three matches could be imposed on Vinicius, depending on the nature of the offense as determined by Article 130.

Nevertheless, his actions after being fired may cause additional issues. According to reports, the referee said that the forward got physically aggressive when he approached him, which prompted teammates to step in and try to calm him down.

The committee may find his behavior to be unsporting, disrespectful to the referee, or excessively protesting, even though no explicit insulting language was recorded in the report. If this is determined to be true, the possible suspension could be raised to four matches.

Vinicius will already be ineligible to play in Real Madrid’s El Clasico match against Barcelona on October 25 due to his two-match suspension. Until the disciplinary authorities decide, though, the punishment is still up in the air.

This might put Jose Mourinho in a tough spot when it comes to choosing his attacking lineup. Although he has had a shaky start to the season, Vinicius is still a threat for Madrid when he gets in behind defenses.

Instead of starting the Brazilian, Yan Diomande started on the left wing and scored the game-winning goal against Villarreal. Mourinho may decide to keep that formation and give Diomande and Arda Guler more offensive responsibility if Vinicius is ruled out.

The decision of the committee is now pending, and it has the potential to greatly impact Jose Mourinho’s plans for Real Madrid’s upcoming match against Barcelona as well as the attacking options available to the squad in subsequent matches.

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