Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has been handed a four-match suspension by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) Disciplinary Committee following a hair-pulling incident during his side’s 1-0 La Liga victory over Villarreal on Saturday.
The disciplinary decision, announced on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, stems from a dramatic sequence during the October 10 fixture at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. The ruling delivers a significant blow to Carlo Ancelotti’s squad, ruling the Brazilian international out of key domestic matches, most notably the upcoming El Clásico against arch-rivals FC Barcelona.
The match hung in the balance when Vinícius Júnior entered the field as a second-half substitute in the 52nd minute. In the 73rd minute, the 26-year-old forward sprinted toward the penalty area and appeared to double Real Madrid’s lead with a direct finish.
However, Video Assistant Referee (VAR) official Guillermo Cuadra Fernández summoned referee Isidro Díaz de Mera to the pitchside monitor to review the build-up play. Replays revealed that while jostling for position during the attack, Vinícius grabbed and pulled the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba, dragging the French center-back to the turf.
Match referee Isidro Díaz de Mera promptly overturned the goal and showed Vinícius a direct red card for violent conduct. In his official post-match refereeing report, Díaz de Mera noted both the foul and the player’s subsequent reaction:
”In the 73rd minute, player No. 7, Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior, was sent off for pulling an opponent’s hair while off the ball in an act of violent conduct. After being shown the red card, the player protested the decision in an aggressive manner, raising his voice and requiring physical restraint from his teammates before exiting the pitch.”
The RFEF Disciplinary Committee split the overall four-match ban into two separate sanctions based on the referee’s official report: Two-Match Suspension, for violent conduct during play (hair-pulling) and Two-Match Suspension, for unsportsmanlike behavior and aggressive confrontation toward the referee following the ejection.
Real Madrid submitted an official appeal on Monday, October 12, arguing that the hair-pulling was incidental contact during a physical duel and requesting a reduction of the post-red card penalty.
However, RFEF spokesperson Javier Gómez confirmed on Wednesday that the committee upheld the full four-game sanction, citing strict enforcement regarding conduct toward match officials.
Vinícius offered a concise apology on social media following the match, writing: “Sorry to the team and all the fans for my reaction today.”
The four-match ban applies strictly to La Liga fixtures and will not impact Vinícius Júnior’s availability for UEFA Champions League matches.
The Brazilian forward will miss the following La Liga encounters: Oct 18, 2026: Sevilla FC (Home), Oct 25, 2026: FC Barcelona (Away – El Clásico), Nov 1, 2026: Racing Santander (Away) and Nov 8, 2026: Valencia CF (Away).
Vinícius is expected to make his domestic return on November 22, 2026, when Real Madrid faces Elche CF following the international break.
