Vinícius Júnior faces El Clásico ban after red card for Villarreal
- Vinícius Júnior faces a suspension that could rule him out of El Clásico after receiving a red card for hair-pulling during Real Madrid’s 1–0 victory over Villarreal.
- The chaos on the pitch started when Vinícius Júnior scored what appeared to be Real Madrid's second goal.
- According to vg.no, referee Isidro Escudero overturned the goal and issued a straight red card to the Brazilian international.
The joy continues … The team and fans, forgive me.
vg.no
Vinícius Júnior faces a suspension that could rule him out of El Clásico after receiving a red card for hair-pulling during Real Madrid’s 1–0 victory over Villarreal. The incident occurred twenty minutes before full-time at the Santiago Bernabéu when the forward grabbed Nathan-Dylan Saliba during a goal celebration.
Vinícius Júnior Red Card and Disciplinary Risk
The chaos on the pitch started when Vinícius Júnior scored what appeared to be Real Madrid’s second goal. Manager José Mourinho sprinted down the touchline to join the celebrations before VAR intervened.
Review footage showed Vinícius Jr. pulling Nathan-Dylan Saliba’s hair prior to the shot. According to vg.no, referee Isidro Escudero overturned the goal and issued a straight red card to the Brazilian international.
Former La Liga referee Pablo González Cruertes, who officiated 157 matches between 2017 and 2021, told Marca that the decision was correct. Cruertes described the action as a hair-raising incident
and confirmed it constituted violent behavior from the Real Madrid forward
in remarks cited by vg.no.
A direct red card in La Liga carries an automatic one-match ban, but extraordinary circumstances can push the punishment to four matches. vg.no reported that a two-game suspension would force Vinícius Jr. to miss the October 25 fixture against Barcelona.
Mourinho Press Boycott and Match Outcome
Following the fiery conclusion, Real Madrid manager José Mourinho refused to attend the post-match press conference. Marca noted that the media absence was announced inside the Bernabéu forty minutes after the final whistle.
Despite playing a man down, Real Madrid protected their narrow lead to secure the three points. Summer signing Yan Diomande scored the game’s only goal, his first for the club following a massive transfer from RB Leipzig.
The 19-year-old midfielder found the net against his former RB Leipzig teammate Péter Gulácsi. I always look forward to playing here,
Diomande told Real Madrid TV in comments relayed by vg.no.
Kylian Mbappé Struggles and League Standings
Kylian Mbappé endured a frustrating evening on the pitch following a turbulent week off it. The French forward missed several clear opportunities, hitting the post in the sixth minute and failing to convert one-on-one chances against Gulácsi later in the match.
The victory lifts Real Madrid to third place in the La Liga table with 18 points. Barcelona leads the division with a perfect record after eight matches following a 3–0 win over Getafe on October 10, 2026, leaving Real Madrid trailing by six points.
Atlético Madrid sits one point ahead of Real Madrid in second place after defeating Deportivo Alavés 2–1 on October 10, 2026. Real Betis can overtake Real Madrid if they defeat Osasuna.
Upcoming La Liga Fixtures
La Liga disciplinary authorities will review the referee’s match report to determine the exact length of Vinícius Júnior’s suspension. Real Madrid’s next league fixture precedes the scheduled October 25, 2026 showdown against Barcelona.