Overview
- The RFEF appeals committee rejected Real Madrid’s appeal on Friday and confirmed the four-match suspension handed down after Vinicius was sent off against Villarreal.
- The committee said the referee made no clear material error and applied Article 130.2 because the hair-pull did not occur during an actual challenge for the ball.
- The ban comprises two matches for the hair-pull and two more for Vinicius’s protests toward referee Díaz de Mera, which will keep him out of league games against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander and Valencia.
- Real Madrid have announced plans to take the case to the Administrative Court for Sport, so the club is shifting the dispute from the federation’s internal route to judicial review while the suspension remains in force.
- The decision forces immediate changes to Real Madrid’s selection for upcoming high-profile fixtures and may shape how Spanish football applies violent-conduct rules in future hair-pulling incidents.