Leaked VAR Audio Is Bad News for Vinicius Junior After Villarreal Red Card

The VAR audio and referee’s report of Vinícius Júnior’s red card in Saturday’s 1–0 win over Villarreal appear certain to lead to a suspension that would keep the Brazilian out of El Clásico later this month.

Vinícius thought he had scored his side’s second goal but, not only did his see his effort chalked out, the VAR review actually caught him pulling the hair of Villarreal’s Nathan Saliba. A straight red card swiftly followed.

A suspension will soon be handed down and the obvious concern for Madrid comes with the timing of such a ban. Sevilla head to the Bernabéu next weekend before Los Blancos travel to Barcelona on Oct. 25 for the biggest fixture of the domestic season.

The official referee’s report confirmed the hair pull was an off-ball incident, which is a crucial detail as it changes the likely punishment from one match to at least two, meaning Vinícius Jr’s involvement in El Clásico has effectively already been ruled out.

La Liga rules state that red cards from situations in which there was no genuine attempt to win the ball will bring an automatic suspension of two matches. Madrid could appeal the referee’s verdict but face an uphill battle to argue their case.

Furthermore, the VAR audio described an incident of “violent conduct,” adding to the likelihood of a suspension that would keep the winger sidelined for El Clásico.

How Long Could Vinícius Jr Be Suspended?

Vinícius Júnior — Vinícius’s conduct after the red card could be equally problematic. | Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The incident will be referred to a disciplinary panel that will determine whether Vinícius Jr deserves anything more severe than the standard sanction.

The hair pull itself will be examined closely, but so will Vinícius Jr’s reaction to his red card. As the referee stated in their report, the winger “continued to protest my decision loudly, approaching the area where I was standing with an aggressive attitude.”

It is noted that he “had to be restrained by his teammates,” with Antonio Rüdiger’s intervention perhaps saving Vinícius Jr from any further controversy.

Aggression towards an official can bring about another suspension, with the rules permitting bans of up to 12 games in the most serious of cases. Vinícius Jr may well see an extra game or two added to his suspension, but he will not reach the full 12.

Rüdiger may have involved himself based on his own experiences with this ruling. During the 2024–25 Copa del Rey final, he was hit with a six-game ban 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

Fixture	Date
Sevilla (H)	Oct. 18
Barcelona (A)	Oct. 25
Racing Santander (A)	Nov. 1
Valencia (A)	Nov. 7
Celta Vigo (H)	Nov. 22

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