On Friday, Real Madrid secured a vital victory over Valencia at Mestalla, propelling them to the top of the La Liga standings. However, the 2-1 win came at a cost: Vinicius Junior was sent off for striking Stole Dimitrevski and may now face a severe penalty.
According to Infobae, Vinicius could be suspended for anywhere between four and twelve matches, depending on the Competition Committee’s interpretation of the incident. A suspension of one to three matches is possible in a more lenient scenario, but the decision will hinge on whether the Committee views Vinicius’ actions as occurring during a dead ball situation.
If the blow is deemed to have happened when the ball was out of play, a more severe penalty could be imposed, potentially resulting in a four-match suspension. However, if the incident is seen as taking place during active play, with no immediate dispute over the ball, the suspension could be less severe.
Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid reacts towards Stole Dimitrievski of Valencia CF after an earlier incident between them and is later shown a red card during the LaLiga match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid.
When will Vinicius’ sanction be decided?
As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Vini is expected to be available for Real Madrid’s next match on Monday against Deportiva Minera in the Copa del Rey, as the Competition Committee won’t meet until Tuesday to review the situation. The Brazilian winger will not be sanctioned before then.
While Vinicius’ participation in the Copa del Rey match is not critical, given the low level of competition, coach Carlo Ancelotti’s primary concern is what this suspension means for the team’s upcoming fixtures.
What matches could Vinicius miss?
If the suspension is limited to two matches, Vinicius would miss La Liga fixtures against Las Palmas and Valladolid. However, if he is suspended for four matches, the impact could be far greater.
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In this case, the Competition Committee may decide to extend the ban to the Spanish Super Cup, which begins next week with the semifinal matchups between Real Madrid and Mallorca, and Barcelona vs. Athletic Bilbao. A four-match suspension would rule Vini out of these crucial games, including the potential final, significantly diminishing Real Madrid’s chances of securing the first title of 2025 without their star player.
