Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. has been handed a two-match suspension following his red card during the team's clash against Valencia, according to Spanish newspaper "Sport."
The incident involved a confrontation between Vinicius and Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski, where Vinicius struck the goalkeeper in the face with his hand. This led the referee to review the situation via VAR, resulting in the player's dismissal from the field.
Vinicius Jr. Faces Two-Match Ban for Actions Against Valencia
Initially, there were rumors that Vinicius could face a longer suspension. However, the referee's post-match report played a crucial role in determining the length of the ban.
Although referee Soto Grado acknowledged during the VAR review that the ball was not in play at the time of the incident, this detail was not included in his official report. The absence of this information significantly impacted the interpretation of the disciplinary action.
Had the incident been classified as aggression, Vinicius could have faced a suspension ranging from four to twelve matches. However, due to the wording of the report, the incident was deemed an act of violence within the context of the game, leading the disciplinary committee to impose a ban ranging from one to three matches. Ultimately, a two-match suspension was decided for Vinicius.
As a result, Vinicius will miss Real Madrid's next two La Liga matches. He will be unavailable for the game against Las Palmas on January 19 and the match against Real Valladolid on January 25.
