Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos has hit out at the decision to suspend compatriot Vinicius Junior for four games in La Liga.
Winger Vinicius Junior was handed a four-game suspension, ruling him out of El Clasico later this month, for his actions against Villarreal last weekend.
Roberto Carlos, who recently missed the StriveAid game, leapt to the defence of the Brazil international after his sanction was made public in the build-up to the UEFA Champions League clash against AS Roma.
Los Blancos went on to win the thriller in Rome 4-3, with Vinicius Junior delivering another uninspiring performance against the Serie A outfit.
Roberto Carlos Hits Out at Vinicius' Suspension Decision
Roberto Carlos reacted to comments from Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho, where the Portuguese tactician questioned the timing of Vinicius Junior's sanction.
The former defender lashed out at the refereeing committee for their decision to publish the news of the four-game suspension for the 26-year-old just before kick-off.
"This REFEREES' committee IS SHAMEFUL, What a pity they make me feel," he posted on X.
His comment followed a complaint from Los Blancos boss Mourinho about the reason for making the sanction public ahead of a game for the forward.
He questioned their motive, pointing out that they had no reason to publish the news at the time, insinuating that they could potentially throw the forward off his game.
“Ask Spanish Refereeing Committee why they published the news about Vini's ban minutes before he plays an important UCL game… Real Madrid is a Spanish club, so why publish it now?”.
He went on to play in the game at the Stadio Olimpico, featuring from the start before being substituted for eventual Man of the Match Endrick after 59 minutes.
What Led to Vinicius Junior's Suspension?
Vinicius Junior's suspension stems from his actions in Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday.
The winger started the game on the bench before his introduction, and appeared to have scored 19 minutes later with a well-taken finish.
A VAR check revealed, however, that he had pulled on the hair of Villarreal midfielder Nathan Saliba on his way to scoring the goal, leading him to be sent off.
He was incensed by the referee's decision and confronted him angrily, with Antonio Rudiger having to step between them before the Brazilian left the pitch and went into the changing room.
The referees' committee decided that his hair pull on Saliba was deserving of a two-game ban, as it constituted violent conduct. His reaction to the referee also earned him a two-game ban, bringing up the total to four games.
He will now miss games against Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing Santander, and Valencia, essentially keeping him out of La Liga action until after next month's international break.
