ไทย
English
中國人
Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr supported his teammates from afar as they pulled off a stunning 2–1 victory over Barcelona at the Camp Nou on Sunday, taking to social media following the final whistle to share his reaction to the remarkable result.
The Brazilian winger did not make the trip to Catalonia with the squad, as he remains ineligible to play in La Liga for Madrid until Nov. 21 following his red card in the 1–0 victory against Villarreal last month.
In what proved to be the lowest point of an already difficult start to the campaign for the star attacker, he was dismissed after a VAR review for grabbing the hair of Nathan Saliba in the build-up to a goal that was subsequently ruled out.
The incident and Vinícius' heated confrontation with the match official resulted in a four-game suspension, compelling José Mourinho to reshuffle his attacking options.
The 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up has hardly been missed across Madrid's last two fixtures, with Los Blancos cruising past Sevilla 4–1 the previous weekend before clinching Sunday's Clásico victory.
Vinícius Jr Still Smiling
🚨 VINI JR. ON IG. 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/gbpVlvWh8c
Despite being absent from the celebrations, Vinícius Jr appears to be in good spirits and shared a photo of the final scoreline accompanied by four laughing emojis on his Instagram story.
Vinícius will also sit out Madrid's upcoming away fixture against Racing Santander on Sunday, though he is eligible to play in the Champions League clash against AEK Athens on Nov. 4.
The concluding match of his suspension comes shortly thereafter when Madrid visit Valencia on Nov. 7, after which he will be free to return to league action following the next international break.
Worrying Signs for Vinícius Jr
While Vinícius Jr celebrated Madrid's unexpected Clásico win, he may have private concerns about how well the team is functioning in his absence.
Before his dismissal, the forward's performances had already been a source of considerable frustration within the club. He has managed just one goal in 2026–27—coming in the 4–1 win over Real Sociedad back in August.
Mourinho seems to have discovered a winning setup and named Arda Güler alongside summer recruit Yan Diomande on the flanks for the Clásico, a pairing that delivered pace, creativity and a positive outcome.
Güler has—Mbappé aside—been Los Blancos' standout performer this season, offering a level of ingenuity that few can rival. Diomande, meanwhile, is finding his best form after a relatively quiet beginning, with the 19-year-old now registering six goal contributions across his last five appearances.
In Diomande, Madrid possess an outstanding ball-carrying threat—no player completed more dribbles than his four on Sunday. The young winger's assurance in possession stands in stark contrast to Vinícius Jr, who—according to Opta—has not attempted a single dribble across his last two matches against Roma and RB Leipzig.
Vinícius Jr's standing at the club—along with his lucrative contract extension—has created a delicate situation in which he is difficult to leave out. Nevertheless, Mourinho has been given the ideal opportunity to overhaul a struggling system through the suspension. Reclaiming his place in this side may prove a significant challenge for the Brazilian, even once he is available for selection again.