Opponent watch: Real Madrid ace Vinicius out of El Clasico after being hit with four-match ban

Opponent watch: Real Madrid ace Vinicius out of El Clasico after being hit with four-match ban FC Barcelona have received a big boost heading into this month’s El Clasico as Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jr. has been ruled out of the match. Indeed, the 26-year-old winger has been hit with a four-match suspension by the RFEF Disciplinary Committee, which means he will be ineligible to face the Catalans when the two teams clash at the Spotify Camp Nou on 25 October. What happened with Vinicius? Vinicius received a red card this past Saturday when Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga. The Brazilian international started the match on the bench and came on in the second half, and around the 70th minute, was involved in an incident with Nathan Saliba. Four-match ban for Vinicius. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Vinicius not only had a goal ruled out for a foul in the buildup after VAR intervened, but also found himself on the receiving end of a red card for pulling the opposition player’s hair. This earned him a two-match ban for violating Article 130.2 of the RFEF Disciplinary Code Following the referee’s decision, the Real Madrid star reacted angrily, charging towards the referee while shouting, and had to be restrained by some of his teammates. This led to a further two-match suspension under Article 127 of the Disciplinary Code, meaning he has been hit with a four-match ban. Out of the Clasico. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) As such, he will miss the Merengues’ next four matches, including the Clasico against Barcelona . Boost for Barcelona This will come as a big boost for Barcelona considering that Vinicius can be a dangerous player and remains one of Real Madrid’s most vital cogs, even though he has been struggling for form this season. Apart from Vinicius, Real Madrid are also expected to be without three defenders: Eder Militao, Raul Asencio, and Ferland Mendy for the clash, while Rodrygo Goes also remains unavailable. Source: AS