Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has been handed a two-match La Liga suspension after being sent off for hitting Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski during Los Blancos’ 2-1 comeback victory in their first league match of 2025 at Mestalla.
The Brazilian star, who received a red card in the 79th minute, will miss La Liga fixtures against Las Palmas and Real Valladolid but remains eligible to play in the Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Mallorca on Thursday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Despite apologizing to Real Madrid fans for his actions and expressing gratitude to his teammates for their resilience in overturning a 1-0 deficit, Vinícius’ outburst caused controversy. Manager Carlo Ancelotti defended his player, arguing that the incident warranted only a yellow card. Real Madrid is expected to appeal the decision.
Vinícius, who has been in remarkable form this season with 13 goals and nine assists in 21 appearances across all competitions, remains a key figure for the La Liga champions.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
