Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior is set to miss the upcoming clash against Barcelona after receiving a four-match domestic suspension for pulling an opponent’s hair during a recent La Liga fixture. The severe sanction rules the Brazilian talisman out of crucial league games, most notably the high-stakes El Clasico showdown against arch-rivals Barcelona on October 25.

The disciplinary committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation confirmed the ruling on Wednesday following a detailed review of the incident that occurred during Madrid's match against Villarreal. Vinicius, who had entered the pitch as a substitute in the 52nd minute, spent just twenty minutes in action before being shown a straight red card.

The controversial sequence unfolded after the number seven appeared to have doubled Real Madrid's lead, sparking passionate sideline celebrations among players and the technical staff. However, the goal was promptly disallowed following an intervention from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which caught Vinicius pulling defender Nathan Saliba's hair in the buildup to the strike.

The referee’s reversal of the goal and subsequent sending-off triggered a furious reaction from the Brazilian, who confronted referee Isidro Diaz de Mera with heated vocal protests before teammates managed to escort him off the pitch. Officials emphasized that the lengthy suspension reflects both the physical infraction and the aggressive dissent that followed, despite the player subsequently issuing a public apology to fans and teammates on social media.

Source: www.aljazeera.com