Vinicius banned for four matches after hair pull on former Mauve Nathan Saliba

Real Madrid secured the three points against Villarreal (1-0) even though Vinicius Junior was sent off, while a four‑match suspension threatens to deprive José Mourinho of one of his key pieces for the weeks ahead. The Brazilian was punished after pulling the hair of former Sporting Anderlecht midfielder Nathan Saliba during last weekend’s La Liga match.

Detailed sanction and consequences

The Spanish Federation imposed a firm four‑match suspension on Vinicius Junior: two for the hair‑pulling act and two for his reaction after the red card shown by the referee. Real Madrid appealed to have the sanction reduced, but if the decision is upheld, the player will miss the match against Sevilla this weekend as well as the Clasico against FC Barcelona in a week.

This absence represents a significant loss for the Merengues, who will have to reorganise their attack without one of their most decisive forwards. The debate continues in Spain, where every sanction against a football giant is seen as a possible conspiracy.