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Vinicius Jr Apologizes After Red Card for Hair Pulling in Real Madrid's Win Over Villarreal

Vinicius Jr, the Real Madrid forward, has publicly apologized to fans and teammates following his red card against Villarreal. The incident, involving pulling an opponent's hair, may lead to a suspension that could rule him out of the upcoming El Clasico against Barcelona.

Unexpected sending off at Santiago Bernabeu

During Real Madrid's narrow 1-0 win in LaLiga, Vinicius Jr was given a straight red card after a VAR review. He had come on as a substitute in the 52nd minute but was dismissed just 20 minutes later for pulling Nathan Saliba's hair. This unusual foul happened right before what seemed like a second goal for Real Madrid.

Brazilian striker issues quick apology

Vinicius initially celebrated what he thought was his team's second goal late in the match, only for the celebration to be cut short when the referee was advised to check the pitchside monitor. Instead of increasing the scoreline, Vinicius was sent off, leaving the home fans shocked as their team had to finish with ten players.

"Sorry to the team and the fans," Vinicius wrote on social media after the final whistle, accepting responsibility for his actions.

Rules on violent conduct and potential suspension

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) will now assess the incident. Hair pulling is considered violent conduct under Article 130 of their regulations, which covers physical acts on the field that do not cause direct injury.

The usual punishment for this offense is a suspension lasting between one and three matches. If the maximum ban is applied, Vinicius could miss several important domestic fixtures.

Suspension could impact crucial fixtures including El Clasico

A long suspension would be a setback for both Vinicius and Real Madrid. Their next three league games include difficult clashes against Sevilla, Barcelona, and Racing Santander. The disciplinary committee's decision will determine how many of these matches Vinicius will be absent for.

The biggest concern is whether he will be available for El Clasico on October 25. A ban of two or more games would mean sitting out the trip to Camp Nou.

  • Upcoming matches:
  • Villarreal vs Real Madrid: 1-0 (Vinicius sent off)
  • Champions League fixtures:
  • SSC Napoli vs Villarreal: 13 Oct 2026, 22:00
  • AS Roma vs Real Madrid: 14 Oct 2026, 22:00

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