Jordi Alba, the former Barcelona left-back who spent 11 years at the club, believes Real Madrid will be seriously weakened by the suspension of Vinicius Junior ahead of Sunday's El Clasico at the Spotify Camp Nou.

The Brazilian winger is banned for four matches after receiving a red card in last weekend's encounter against Villarreal. He was dismissed for pulling an opponent's hair and then aggressively contesting the referee's decision. The ban will also rule him out of Madrid's subsequent fixtures against Sevilla, Racing, and Valencia.

Debate sparks in Spain

Vinicius' absence has divided opinion across the country. Spanish outlet Diario AS suggested his suspension could prove to be "more a solution than a problem" for Real Madrid, pointing to the fact that the forward has netted just once in nine La Liga appearances this season. Madrid have also won their last four matches without him — including a commanding 4-1 triumph over RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League.

Alba, however, flatly rejected that reading. Speaking to Barca Universal, the former full-back insisted Vinicius remains a matchday threat that any opponent would rather face without.