Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr has issued an apology to his teammates and supporters following a controversial red card incident during Saturday’s 1-0 La Liga victory over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu. The Brazilian faces an uncertain timeline for his return, with a disciplinary review potentially keeping him sidelined for the upcoming rivalry clash against Barcelona.
The sequence unfolded after Vinicius, who had entered the match in the 52nd minute, appeared to score Real’s second goal. However, the officials overturned the scoreline following a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) check. The review identified that Vinicius had pulled the hair of Villarreal’s Nathan Saliba during the build-up, an infraction that warranted a dismissal.
In the aftermath of the match, Vinicius took to social media to write, “sorry to the team and the fans.” The on-field reaction was intense; after the referee initially waved away the goal celebration, Vinicius became visibly agitated by the decision. Reports indicate he screamed at referee Isidro Diaz de Mera and had to be physically restrained by his teammates as he left the pitch.
Match reports noted that Vinicius protested the ruling aggressively, raising his voice toward the official. Juan Foyth, a Villarreal defender, commented on the nature of the offense, stating, “I don’t think he meant to hurt anyone, but it is a red card.” Under Royal Spanish Football Federation regulations, pulling an opponent’s hair is classified as violent conduct, carrying a suspension of one to three matches under Article 130 when no injury is caused.
The potential ban would overlook Real Madrid’s next three league fixtures against Sevilla, Barcelona, and Racing Santander. Missing El Clasico would be a significant blow for the 26-year-old Brazilian international. Meanwhile, manager Jose Mourinho, who had briefly joined the players in celebration before the disallowed goal, did not attend the mandatory post-match press conference.
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