Damning Leaked VAR Audio Spells Trouble for Vinicius Junior Following Villarreal Red Card

The VAR audio and referee's match report from Vinícius Júnior's red card during Saturday's 1–0 victory against Villarreal are widely expected to result in a ban that would rule the Brazilian star out of El Clásico later this month.

Vinícius believed he had netted his team's second goal, but not only was the effort disallowed, the VAR review also caught him grabbing the hair of Villarreal's Nathan Saliba. A straight red card was immediately shown.

A ban is expected to be issued shortly, and the primary concern for Madrid revolves around its timing. Sevilla visit the Bernabéu next weekend before Los Blancos make the trip to Barcelona on Oct. 25 for the most high-profile fixture of the domestic campaign.

The official referee's report confirmed the hair-pulling incident occurred off the ball, a key detail that shifts the likely penalty from one match to a minimum of two, effectively ending any realistic chance of Vinícius Jr featuring in El Clásico.

La Liga regulations stipulate that red cards issued for incidents where there was no genuine attempt to contest the ball carry an automatic two-match suspension. Madrid could challenge the referee's decision, but they face a difficult task making their case.

Additionally, the VAR audio described the incident as "violent conduct," further increasing the probability of a suspension that would keep the winger absent for El Clásico.

How Long Could Vinícius Jr Be Suspended?

The matter will be referred to a disciplinary committee, which will decide whether Vinícius Jr warrants a punishment beyond the standard sanction.

The hair-pulling incident itself will be scrutinized carefully, as will Vinícius Jr's reaction following his dismissal. As noted in the referee's report, the winger "continued to protest my decision loudly, approaching the area where I was standing with an aggressive attitude."

It was also noted that he "had to be restrained by his teammates," with Antonio Rüdiger's intervention potentially sparing Vinícius Jr from further disciplinary trouble.

Aggressive behavior toward a match official can result in an additional suspension, with regulations allowing bans of up to 12 games in the most extreme cases. Vinícius Jr may have one or two extra games tacked onto his ban, though he is unlikely to reach the maximum of 12.

Rüdiger may have stepped in drawing from his own experience with this rule. During the 2024–25 Copa del Rey final, he received a six-game suspension for throwing an ice cube at the referee after being found guilty of "minor violence against the referees."

The La Liga Games Vinícius Jr Could Miss