Precedents jeopardize Vinicius's presence in El Clasico
In the second half of the match against Villarreal, Vinicius Jr. received a direct red card for an aggression on Saliba, after scoring a goal that was disallowed; the Brazilian protested on the field to Díaz de Mera, the referee who reviewed the incident with VAR.
Real Madrid already faces a recurring problem with Vinicius Jr., according to Angel Martinez and Pablo Planas, and the episode against Villarreal is no exception; after the dismissal, the team maintained the lead thanks to Diomande's assist in the second half and held on until the final whistle. This puts his presence in the upcoming classic into doubt.
Díaz de Mera did not hesitate to consult VAR about Vinicius's hair grab on Saliba, classified in the regulations as aggression; moreover, the Brazilian clearly protested against the official, which could have led to additional charges being recorded in the report.
Precedents of expulsions for hair pulling
The most recent case occurred in May 2026, when Johan Mojica, then a Mallorca player, was sent off for pulling the hair of Roger Brugué of Levante; the Disciplinary Committee imposed a two‑match suspension on him.
VAR drama changes Real Madrid's lead against Villarreal
A similar precedent occurred in January 2023, when Ferran Torres, against Atlético de Madrid, pulled the hair of Stefano Savic; the sanction was also two matches, although the report noted that the incident happened with the ball in play and outside the area of contest.
In contrast, the case of Diego Percan, a Córdoba player in May 2026, resulted in a single suspension; the hair pull on Izan occurred with the ball close to being played, which according to the report reduced the penalty to one match.
What Díaz de Mera's report will decide
If Díaz de Mera's report shows that the ball was not at a distance from being played, the regulations suggest a two‑match suspension, which would prevent Vinicius from taking part in the Classic that will be contested at the Spotify Camp Nou on October 25; otherwise, the penalty would be a single match.
Vinicius challenges Díaz de Mera after a straight red at the Bernabeu
Thus, the decision on the dismissal will not only determine the availability of the Brazilian forward, but could also affect Real Madrid's strategy ahead of the season's most anticipated duel.