Spanish reports point to a ban of one to three matches. That length would cover the Barcelona game. Nothing is official yet and the referee’s account of his behaviour afterwards could push the number higher.

Madrid already sit six points behind the league leaders. So any absence in attack matters more than usual.

Madrid edged Villarreal 1-0 on Saturday, 10 October, thanks to a Yan Diomande goal. Vinicius was not in the starting line-up. He joined the game late, with Madrid already ahead.

His moment arrived when Jude Bellingham drove through midfield and set him up. Vinicius stroked the ball in with his first touch. For a few seconds, it looked like a 2-0 lead.

The video team went back to the opening phase of the move. Vinicius had grabbed Villarreal midfielder Nathan Saliba by the hair. Referee Isidro Díaz de Mera walked to the monitor and studied the footage.

His verdict wiped out the goal. He then ordered Vinicius off with a direct red. Madrid finished one player short, yet still kept the three points.

Video review looks at the whole attacking phase, not only the shot. If a serious offence happened earlier in the move, the goal can be removed. That is what happened here, because the hair pull sat at the very start of Madrid’s break.

Vinicius fumed at the decision, and Antonio Rüdiger held him back. The referee’s report says he kept shouting, moved toward the official in an aggressive way and needed teammates to restrain him. That section of the report is now part of the league’s review.

Soon after, Vinicius posted an apology aimed at his team and fans. About 20 minutes later, he reposted a fan montage showing rough tackles on him, with laughing emojis. Reports read the second post as a gripe about how referees treat him.

Vinicius had found the net only once in his first seven league outings. Mourinho left him out of the starting eleven against Villarreal, soon after Brazil’s trips to Australia and India. The crowd reaction was split, with whistles from some stands and applause from others.

The red card hurts Madrid more than the win helps them. Vinicius needed a goal to restart his form, and he lost it within minutes. Now Mourinho may lose him for the biggest match of the autumn.

The red card looks consistent with what the replay showed. The bigger danger may be his reaction, since the league will weigh the protests. If the ban reaches the Clásico, Madrid must rebuild their attack for a huge match.

The league’s ruling decides everything, so watch for the number of games. Any extra games tied to his behaviour after the card would change the picture. Mourinho must also plan for a front line without Vinicius. Until the league speaks, treat the ban talk as reports.

Would you still pick Vinicius for the Clásico if he is available? Drop your answer in the comments.