On 14/10, the Disciplinary Committee of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) rejected Real's explanation, banning Vinicius for four La Liga matches. This decision came just two hours before a crucial European competition match, drawing criticism from Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho.

The Brazilian forward will consequently miss matches against Sevilla on 18/10, Barca on 25/10, Racing Santander on 1/11, and Valencia on 7/11. He can only return when Real hosts Celta Vigo in La Liga's 13th round, following the November FIFA Days.

Vinicius received a red card and reacted during Real Madrid's 1-0 victory over Villarreal in La Liga's eighth round at the Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain on 10/10/2026.

Vinicius received a red card during Real's 1-0 victory over Villarreal in La Liga's eighth round at the Bernabeu on 10/10. The Brazilian forward came off the bench and nearly scored to make it 2-0. However, VAR detected Vinicius pulling Nathan Saliba's hair in an off-the-ball incident in midfield. After reviewing the footage pitchside, referee Isidro Diaz de Mera disallowed the goal and showed Vinicius a direct red card.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Real anticipated Vinicius's suspension but hoped the penalty would be limited to two matches. The Royal club had little basis to dispute the red card itself, so they focused on explaining his reaction to the referee afterwards. However, these arguments were not accepted by the Disciplinary Committee.

Two details in the referee's report became the basis for the Disciplinary Committee's sanction. First, the hair-pulling occurred during an off-the-ball incident. According to Article 130.2 of the RFEF Disciplinary Code, Vinicius received a two-match ban for violent conduct outside of a challenge for the ball. Had the infringement occurred during a challenge, the penalty might have been only one match.

The remaining two matches resulted from his reaction to the referee, under Article 127. In his report, Diaz de Mera described Vinicius as having an "aggressive attitude" after receiving the red card; teammates had to restrain him. The 26-year-old forward also pushed a La Liga match delegate and uttered insults towards the league in a moment of agitation.

Real players prevented Vinicius from reacting to the referee after he received a red card. Photo: AS

Real considered the additional penalty too severe. The club argued that the referee's report did not record specific insults but mainly described Vinicius's attitude—an element open to multiple interpretations. Real hoped the penalty for his reaction would be only one match, but the Disciplinary Committee decided on a two-match ban.

This decision caused dissatisfaction at the Bernabeu. According to Mundo Deportivo, Real will file an appeal with the Appeals Committee, aiming to reduce the total ban from four to three matches. However, even if successful, Vinicius would still be unavailable for the El Clasico match.

Nevertheless, the suspension does not affect Vinicius's eligibility to play in the Champions League. The Brazilian forward started in Real's 4-3 victory over Roma in the Champions League qualifying round two.

Coach Jose Mourinho reacted to the referee during the Villarreal match. Photo: AP

Speaking to Movistar+ before the match, coach Jose Mourinho was asked if this decision would affect Vinicius's morale. Instead of answering directly, the Portuguese manager directed his criticism towards the Disciplinary Committee. "I think that question should be directed to the Disciplinary Committee. Why did they announce the ban at this moment?" Mourinho stated. "If you ask that, perhaps you also believe the decision could affect him. Why didn't they announce it this morning, or wait until tomorrow morning? Why must it be two hours before a crucial match for Real Madrid, a Spanish club?"

"The Special One" did not directly debate the validity of the red card but emphasized the timing of the disciplinary body's announcement. He considered this questionable as Real prepared for an important European competition match.

Hong Duy