Real Madrid legend clears Vinicius: 'He did not spit'!

Amid calls for him to be suspended for the Clasico

Real Madrid are braced for a punishment that could rule Vinicius Junior out of the Clasico after he shoved a La Liga employee. Club legend Jorge Valdano has come out swinging in the Brazilian's defence, insisting there was no malicious intent or nastiness in what he did against Villarreal.

Speaking in comments published by Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo", Valdano addressed Vinicius pulling the hair of Villarreal defender Saliba, the incident that earned him a straight red card in the 73rd minute: "It is a completely spontaneous action."

The former Madrid player and coach was analysing the sending-off on Movistar after Los Blancos edged Villarreal 1-0.

His opening argument was a striking comparison designed to absolve the winger: "This shows the difference between spitting, for example, and what happened here."

He then went further, explaining what was going through Vinicius's head: "It is a completely instinctive action. The player feels he is being hemmed in, and he wants to get rid of him, so he does it in the most illegal way possible."

Valdano finished with the line that will set Spain talking: "I don't see any intent, or nastiness in the action" in which Vinicius pulled Saliba's hair.

That defence lands at an awkward moment. Vinicius risks a ban of at least two matches, which would rule him out of the Clasico against Barcelona on 25 October. Then there is the shove on a La Liga employee as he headed down the tunnel, an incident that could see the punishment stiffened further.