Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was shown a straight red card for pulling Villarreal midfielder Nathan Saliba's hair during their La Liga clash on Saturday, October 10. The Brazilian thought he had scored a second goal for his side, but a VAR review overturned the effort and led to his dismissal. Despite the setback, Real Madrid held on to secure a 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius came on as a substitute in the 52nd minute, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold, with the match still goalless. Real Madrid subsequently took the lead through Yan Diomande in the 62nd minute. The young Ivorian winger found the net with a composed finish, giving the hosts an important advantage.
Vinicius Jr Sent Off For Pulling Opponent's Hair
Soon afterwards, Vinicius believed he had doubled Real Madrid's lead. Jude Bellingham advanced down the left and delivered the ball into the Brazilian's path, allowing him to finish. However, the goal was disallowed after the video assistant referee alerted the on-field official to an incident involving Saliba during the build-up.
After reviewing the footage, referee Isidro Diaz de Mera deemed the hair-pulling incident violent conduct and showed Vinicius a straight red card. The forward reacted angrily to the decision as his teammates attempted to calm him down while he left the pitch.
Real Madrid were forced to defend their narrow lead with 10 men for the closing stages. Villarreal pushed for an equaliser, but Madrid's defence held firm to preserve the victory. The result kept Jose Mourinho's side in the La Liga title race, although the red card overshadowed their three points.
