Valverde defends Real Madrid teammate Vinicius in hair-pulling controversy after four-match ban: ‘He didn’t deserve the suspension, it was unintentional’

Valverde defends Real Madrid teammate Vinicius in hair-pulling controversy after four-match ban: ‘He didn’t deserve the suspension, it was unintentional’ Federico Valverde has defended Vinicius Junior after the Real Madrid forward received a four-match suspension for pulling an opponent’s hair. The Uruguayan midfielder insists Vinicius did not deserve the punishment because the incident was unintentional. “Vini Jr did not deserve a four-match ban. It was not intentional,” Valverde said (via Fabrizio Romano ). Vinicius was sent off during Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Villarreal after VAR caught him pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair in an off-the-ball incident. The 26-year-old initially appeared to have doubled Madrid’s advantage before the goal was overturned and the winger received a straight red card for violent conduct. The suspension threatens to rule Vinicius out of several important domestic fixtures, including the highly anticipated El Clasico against Barcelona on October 25. Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has also criticised the Spanish football authorities over the timing of the disciplinary verdict. The news was announced just hours before his side’s Champions League clash with Roma. Mourinho questioned why a player had to learn about a four-match suspension so close to an important European fixture, arguing that the announcement could have been handled differently. Vinicius endured a difficult evening against Roma, losing possession in the build-up to a goal before being substituted after 60 minutes. Real Madrid eventually recovered to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory. However, Valverde’s defence of his teammate is unlikely to convince those who believe the punishment was justified. Valverde cannot seriously expect sympathy for Vinicius when the forward has only himself to blame. Pulling an opponent’s hair is a ridiculous decision. Players are responsible for their actions, and deliberate hair-pulling shouldn’t be brushed aside because it lacks apparent aggression. The calls to protect Vinicius are quite difficult to understand. His importance to Madrid does not make him exempt from disciplinary consequences, nor should the prospect of missing El Clasico influence how his behaviour is judged. Madrid may feel the timing is unfortunate, but the real frustration should be directed at a player who needlessly jeopardised his availability. Vinicius deserves to face consequences for his actions, and Valverde’s defence does little to change that.