Real Madrid has confirmed that Vinicius Jr. will not be able to participate in the next Clásico against Barcelona, after the imposition of a four-match suspension by the RFEF Disciplinary Committee. The sanction is divided into two parts: two matches for the “grabbing” of Saliba during the match and another two for the protests that followed referee Isidro Díaz de Mera. The club has started the appeal process, although the possibility of reducing the sentence to three games seems limited.
The reason for the first part of the suspension is based on article 130 of the Disciplinary Code, which contemplates violence within the game. The referee had sent off Vinicius for “pulling an opponent's hair with the ball in play, without the ball being in dispute.” Real Madrid argues that the grab occurred within the play and, therefore, it should be considered an action "in a violent manner on the occasion of the game", which, according to the regulations, would lead to a suspension of one to three games. However, the committee interpreted that the action occurred “on the sidelines of the game,” which justifies a two- to three-game penalty. Consequently, the club cannot reduce the sanction for this part.
The second part of the suspension is based on article 127, which regulates protests against the referee. Vinicius, after being sent off, continued to protest with shouts and an aggressive attitude, which led his teammates to restrain him. The regulations establish a minimum penalty of two games for this type of conduct, and the committee confirmed the application of this measure. Since protesting is not considered a more serious offense, the suspension cannot be reduced.
Real Madrid has strict deadlines to file appeals. If the club presents the appeal before 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, a resolution is expected on Friday at 12:00 p.m. If the appeal is submitted between 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on the same day, the verdict should be communicated no later than 2:00 p.m. on Friday. If the appeal is presented after 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, the decision will not be known until the following day, which would imply that Vinicius would not be able to play on Sunday at the Bernabéu. Furthermore, the deadline before the Administrative Disciplinary Court (TAD) ends on Friday at 12:00, and the possibility of requesting a precautionary measure only exists if the club already has an appeal ruling.
With the appeal deadline approaching, Real Madrid faces a complicated situation. The likelihood of the penalty being reduced to three games is low, and the club must decide quickly whether to pursue the appeal or accept the suspension. If the decision stands, Vinicius Jr. will be left out of the Clásico, which will affect the team's lineup in one of the biggest rivalries in Spanish football.