Red card, suspension and a conspiracy - what's up with Vini Jr?

What the report says

Vinicius Jr is back in focus at Real Madrid after a red card against Villarreal led to a four-match suspension, ruling him out of key La Liga games including El Clasico against Barcelona. BBC Sport reported that the decision came after VAR showed him pulling an opponent’s hair, and that his protests after the dismissal also contributed to the ban. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho criticised both the incident and the timing of the disciplinary ruling, which was announced only hours before the team’s Champions League match against Roma.

The BBC said the suspension arrives amid wider scrutiny of Vinicius, including questions about his form, his behaviour on the pitch and his standing with some supporters. He had started the Villarreal match on the bench for the first time in months, then came on to score before the goal was overturned. The report also noted that he has gone several matches without scoring and that he has faced boos from sections of the Real Madrid crowd this season.

Vinicius later said he was surprised by the length of the ban and insisted he had not insulted the referee. After Real’s comeback win over Roma, he said he was aware of his recent performances and wanted to keep helping the team. BBC Sport also referenced online conspiracy theories about his appearance after cosmetic surgery, though it presented those as social media rumours rather than verified claims.