Vinícius Júnior issued a public statement directed at teammates and supporters following Real Madrid's 1-0 La Liga victory over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, expressing regret over the straight red card he received during the match. The 26-year-old Brazilian international was dismissed for hair-pulling, the offence committed against Villarreal's Nathan Saliba, leaving his availability for the forthcoming El Clásico fixture against Barcelona in doubt.

A VAR review triggered the dismissal at the 72nd minute, with Vinícius having entered the match from the bench at half-time. A goal that appeared to put Real Madrid 2-0 ahead was referred to the video assistant referee, whose intervention brought referee Isidro Díaz de Mera back to the pitchside monitor to examine the build-up play.

Footage review established that Vinícius had grabbed Saliba's hair during a forward run, an act that officials ruled warranted both the cancellation of the goal and a straight red card on grounds of violent conduct. With a one-goal lead built on Yan Diomandé's opener, Madrid were reduced to ten players for the closing minutes.

After the final whistle, Vinícius posted a message on Instagram reading "Sorry to my team and my fans," with Saliba not among those he addressed by name.

With El Clásico set for 25 October to open the season, the red card has become a factor in Real Madrid's preparations as that fixture approaches. Under the rules governing Spanish football, grabbing an opponent by the hair falls within the category of violent conduct. Under Article 130 of the disciplinary code, a player found guilty of that type of offence — provided no injury results — faces a ban of between one and three matches.

Three fixtures on Real Madrid's La Liga schedule in the near term pit them against Sevilla, Barcelona, and Racing Santander. Depending on whether the suspension runs to two matches or stretches to three, Vinícius Júnior would be absent from the fixture held at Spotify Camp Nou. Specialists in officiating rules have assessed that any appeal lodged on Real Madrid's behalf would carry little prospect of success, the incident in question having occurred during a stoppage in play.

Yan Diomandé's solitary strike at the Santiago Bernabéu on 10 October 2026 proved the difference as Real Madrid edged Villarreal CF 1-0 in La Liga, a match that also drew referee attention to Vinícius Júnior — dismissed in the 72nd minute — and to Villarreal's Nathan Saliba.

Elsewhere in La Liga that Saturday, Barcelona recorded their eighth straight win with a 3-0 victory over Getafe at Spotify Camp Nou. Anthony Gordon, Gabriel Jesus, and Jules Koundé each scored to deliver the home side a result that lifted Barcelona to the summit of the table on 24 points.

Heading into the Villarreal fixture, Real Madrid sat 13th in the La Liga table, having collected only three points from their previous four league outings, with defeats in three of those games. El Clásico between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid is scheduled for Sunday, 25 October 2026, at Spotify Camp Nou in Barcelona, with kick-off at 9:00 PM Central European Time.

Whether Vinícius Júnior will be available for El Clásico remains subject to the disciplinary committee's ruling, with Barcelona currently positioned at the top of the table. The committee's decision will determine the winger's status ahead of the derby.