Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr could miss El Clasico vs Barcelona after a mindless red card for hair-pulling

Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr could be forced to miss Real's upcoming El Clasico match against Barcelona due to a red card for hair-pulling committed during Saturday's game against Villarreal. The Brazilian forward was dismissed in the 72nd minute of the match for violent conduct after being caught on camera pulling Nathan Saliba's hair.

The red card was initially shown by the referee before a VAR review overturned the decision, leading to Jose Mourinho celebrating wildly on the sidelines. However, Vinicius Jr was still sent off for his indiscretion. The Portuguese manager, who was furious with the decision, did not attend the mandatory post-match press conference.

Vinicius Jr, who replaced Trent Alexander-Arnold just 20 minutes into the game, could now miss Real Madrid's next La Liga match against Sevilla and the important El Clasico clash with Barcelona on October 25. If the dismissal stands after Real Madrid's anticipated appeal, the 26-year-old could miss crucial time for both matches.

Under the Laws of the Game, pulling an opponent's hair is considered violent conduct and warrants an immediate red card. Despite efforts by referees to consider the force and intention behind hair-pulling incidents this season, Vinicius Jr's deliberate action may be tough to overturn. The dismissal not only threatens to cost Madrid one of their most important attacking players for El Clasico, but it also serves as a disciplinary headache for Mourinho ahead of the two significant league fixtures.

The victory was crucial for Madrid, who needed the points after Barcelona strengthened their lead with a 3-0 win over Getafe earlier in the day. With Vinicius Jr potentially facing a ban, his moment of indiscipline could have serious implications for Real Madrid's title ambitions as they currently sit six points behind the defending champions after eight matches.