Vinicius Junior will not play for Real Madrid against Valencia on Saturday, November 7, because he is serving the fourth and final game of a four-match suspension in LaLiga.
He was sent off during the clash with Villarreal after pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair and subsequently protesting the referee’s decision. The Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee handed him two additional matches for his protests, bringing the total ban to four games.
Real Madrid appealed the punishment, hoping to reduce the suspension, but the appeal was rejected. As a result, he has already missed league matches against Sevilla, Barcelona and Racing Santander.
When will Vinicius Junior return to play for Real Madrid?
Vinicius Junior is expected to return to LaLiga action on November 21, 2026, when Real Madrid host Celta Vigo, following the international break. He will be eligible again for Jose Mourinho‘s team in Matchday 13.
Vinicius Junior receives a red card during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match (Source: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
The suspension stems from his sending-off during Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Villarreal on October 10. After a VAR review, he was shown a red card for pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair.
He was still eligible to play in the UEFA Champions League because his suspension applied to Spanish competitions. He featured against AEK Athens on November 4, even as he remained unavailable for LaLiga action.
Who will replace Vinicius Junior against Valencia?
Yan Diomande is the leading candidate to replace Vinicius Junior on the left wing against Valencia. The Ivorian has taken advantage of the Brazilian’s absence and impressed Jose Mourinho with his performances during the suspension.
He was particularly influential in Real Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Sevilla, scoring a goal and providing an assist. He also made an impact against RB Leipzig in the Champions League, contributing a goal and an assist.
How has Real Madrid performed without Vinicius Junior this season?
Real Madrid have won all three LaLiga matches played without Vinicius Junior during his suspension, recording three victories, nine goals scored, and just two conceded. Mourinho’s team has managed to maintain its momentum.
He missed the victories against Sevilla (4-1), Barcelona (2-1) and Racing Santander (3-0). Those results gave Los Blancos a perfect record during his domestic absence and demonstrated that the squad has enough attacking depth to compensate for his unavailability.
One of the biggest positives for Mourinho has been the emergence of Yan Diomande as an effective option on the left wing. The Ivorian’s contributions have helped Madrid maintain their attacking threat, while Kylian Mbappe has continued to provide an important goal-scoring presence.
Key takeaways
- A four-match suspension keeps Vinicius Junior out of Real Madrid’s match against Valencia.
- November 21, 2026 is Vinicius Junior’s expected return date for Real Madrid against Celta Vigo.
- Yan Diomande is the leading candidate to replace Vinicius Junior against Valencia.
