Vinicius Jr Red Card: How Many Matches Will Real Madrid Star Miss? Is El Clasico at Risk?

Just for moment, the shackles were released.

Vinícius Júnior’s finish was simple. The Brazilian has scored more impressive and significant goals, but his close-range strike against Villarreal felt like a necessary cathartic release. Nine games and six weeks had passed since he last found the back of the net from open play.

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His dip hasn’t merely been a source of concern for club and country, but the extent of his demise at the start of the 2026–27 season has ignited wild conspiracy theories regarding a potential body double. Genuinely.

Viní’s moment of joy against the Yellow Submarine would ultimately prove to be a cruel false dawn. Soon after, referee Isidro Díaz de Mera was summoned to the monitor, with the infringement initially unclear. There was no offside, but Real Madrid’s suffering goalscorer had instead drawn attention to a possible dismissal.

The fourth red card of Vinícius Jr’s senior career followed, thus chalking off his goal and immediately thrusting his status for the first Clásico of 2026–27 into doubt.

Will Vinícius Júnior Miss El Clásico?

That’s the million-dollar question, and the referee’s match report will be key. De Mera has indicated that Vinícius Jr’s red card was an off-ball incident, which means he’s likely to be subject to more than the automatic one-match ban.

According to Spanish outlet COPE, Madrid are preparing for Vinícius Jr to serve a three-game suspension, meaning he’ll miss the trip to Catalonia on Oct. 25.

He’ll also sit out next week’s clash with Sevilla and the duel against Racing Santander at the start of November. The winger will be available for Madrid’s upcoming Champions League fixtures against Roma and RB Leipzig, however. Domestic suspensions do not carry over into Europe.

Madrid could appeal, but it’d be unlikely for Vinícius Jr to have his suspension reduced to just a single match. In May, Mallorca’s Johan Mojica received a two-match ban for pulling Roger Brugue’s hair.

So, the signs are pointing toward José Mourinho not having his struggling Brazilian star on hand for the first Clásico of the season. In the opinion of some Madrid supporters, that may not be such a bad thing, especially after Yan Diomande scored his first goal for the club in Saturday’s victory.

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Real Madrid’s Upcoming La Liga Fixtures

• Sunday, Oct. 18: Sevilla (H)
• Sunday, Oct. 25: Barcelona (A)
• Sunday, Nov. 1: Racing Santander (A)

Why Was Vinícius Júnior Sent Off vs. Villarreal?

After passing to Jude Bellingham on the halfway line, Vinícius Jr’s long burst into the Villarreal box resulted in what he thought was his first goal since he struck in Madrid’s 4–1 victory over Real Sociedad on Aug. 26.

However, before making the aforementioned burst, the Brazilian, while trying to make his way around Nathan Saliba, pulled the Villarreal substitute’s hair. Saliba’s head briefly jerked back, but he didn’t kick up a fuss. The incident was spotted by the video assistant referee.

Under Law 12 of the IFAB Laws of the Game, pulling an opponent’s hair falls under violent conduct, warranting a straight red card.

Such punishment can appear harsh, most notably when Manchester United’s Lisandro Martínez was sent off against Leeds United in April, but Vinícius Jr, despite his strong remonstrations, could have no complaints.

Madrid’s No. 7 later apologized, writing on social media: “The joy continues. My apologies to my team and the fans.”

This article was originally published on www.si.com as Vinicius Jr Red Card: How Many Matches Will Real Madrid Star Miss? Is El Clasico at Risk?.

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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 6:30 AM.