Vinícius Júnior will sit out four LaLiga matches — including El Clásico against Real Madrid's fiercest rivals — after receiving a red card during Real Madrid's league victory over Villarreal on Saturday.

The ban was triggered by an incident in which Vinícius pulled an opponent's hair, an act the competition's disciplinary authorities deemed worthy of an immediate sending-off and a substantial suspension.

The four-game punishment means the Brazilian forward will be absent for one of the most high-profile fixtures in world football, denying Real Madrid one of their most dangerous attacking weapons at a critical point in the LaLiga season.