Sports · Football · 18 hrs ago
Vinicius Jr sent off as Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0
Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 in a La Liga match on Saturday.
Vinicius Jr was sent off after video review showed him pulling Villarreal’s Nathan Saliba by the hair.
The referee also disallowed a goal Vinicius had scored, and Madrid played with 10 men from the 73rd minute.
Coach José Mourinho was angry about the decision and other refereeing calls, and did not attend the post-match press conference.
Vinicius later apologised to his team and fans, but not to Saliba.
The red card brings an automatic one-match suspension, and the disciplinary commission could add to it.
If it does, Vinicius could miss Madrid’s match against Barcelona, which is two games away.
Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 in their La Liga match on Saturday.
Vinicius Junior was sent off in the 73rd minute after a video review found he had pulled Villarreal player Nathan Saliba’s hair.
The referee disallowed Vinicius’s second goal before showing him a straight red card, leaving Madrid with 10 players.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho skipped the post-match press conference after becoming angry about the sending-off and other refereeing decisions.
Vinicius later apologised to his team and fans in an Instagram post, but not to Saliba.
- Who
- Real Madrid and Villarreal; Vinicius Junior was sent off.
- What
- Real Madrid won 1-0. Vinicius was dismissed after pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair, and his second goal was disallowed.
- When
- Saturday, 10 October 2026.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- The referee sent off Vinicius after a video review found he had pulled Saliba’s hair. Mourinho boycotted the press conference over the sending-off and refereeing decisions.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Sorry to my team and my fans
I don’t think he meant to hurt anyone but it is a red card
Vinicius came on as a second-half substitute, and Yan Diamonde put Madrid ahead.
After a video review, the referee disallowed Vinicius’s second goal and sent him off for pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair.
Real Madrid held on to win 1-0, and Mourinho skipped the post-match press conference.
Vinicius apologised to his team and fans in an Instagram post.
- Final score
- Real Madrid 1-0 Villarreal
- Red card
- Vinicius Junior, 73rd minute
- Villarreal player involved
- Nathan Saliba
- Madrid goal scorer
- Yan Diamonde
- Manager
- Jose Mourinho
Sources
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