The suspension Vinícius could face for incident with Valencia player Hugo Duro

Vinícius is unlikely to feature for Real Madrid again this season. The Real Madrid player was sent off for a slap on Hugo Duro in the final minutes of the game against Valencia on Sunday. The ban is likely to be for three matches and Madrid only have three fixtures remaining this season.

According to referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea’s report of the Valencia-Real Madrid game, the reason for Vinícius’ sending off was for “striking an opponent’s face with his arm when the ball was not in play, in a massive confrontation between players from both teams”. The incident will be examined by the Competition Committee.

In the referee’s description, he mentions “striking” and not “aggression”. When a referee refers to the former, article 130.2 of the Disciplinary Code is usually applied. This describes a violent action in which there are no harmful or damaging consequences for the opponent and which “takes place on the fringes of play, without being in a position to contest the ball or play being stopped” and “will be sanctioned with a suspension of two to three matches”.

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If De Burgos Bengoetxea had described such an action as aggression, a longer ban would be handed out. According to article 103 of the same rule, “assaulting another person, without causing injury, with the action taking place while play is stopped or at such a distance from where it is taking place that it is impossible to intervene in a set piece of play, will be punished with a suspension of four to twelve matches”.

Everything now suggests that Vinícius will be suspended for three matches.