Vinícius Júnior’s pointed remark claiming to have never before seen a player receive a four-game ban for pulling an opponent’s hair misses the point. Only half of his suspension was a result of his unwise tug.
Real Madrid’s misfiring forward endured another unwanted moment in the spotlight over the weekend when he was sent off for grabbing the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba. This constitutes violent conduct—and has done for years—and the fact it was away from the ball necessitated an automatic two-match ban.
