Real Madrid’s turbulent 2026/2027 season continues to be more difficult as they will be without forward Vinicius jnr after a dramatic end to their 1-0 win over Villarreal on Saturday in La Liga.
Vinicius Jr was sent off for pulling the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba as Real Madrid secured a controversial 1-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.
The Brazilian forward received a straight red card for violent conduct in the 72nd minute after a video review overturned what he thought was his second goal of the match.
Vinicius had come on as a substitute for England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold 20 minutes earlier; after finding the net, the 26-year-old celebrated alongside manager Jose Mourinho, who had rushed towards him on the touchline.
However, the referee reviewed the build-up on the pitchside monitor and spotted Vinicius pulling Saliba’s hair before scoring, leading to the goal being disallowed and the forward being dismissed.
The decision sparked furious reactions from Real Madrid players and staff, while Mourinho was shown a yellow card during the match.
The Portuguese manager later failed to attend the obligatory post-match news conference, with reports suggesting he feared his comments about the officiating could lead to a suspension.
It was the second consecutive game in which Real had a player sent off, following Dean Huijsen’s dismissal against Atletico Madrid.
Teenager Yan Diomande scored the decisive goal in the 62nd minute, registering his first for Real Madrid since joining from RB Leipzig in August in a deal reportedly worth up to £120m.
His low finish into the far corner was initially ruled out for offside but was allowed to stand after a VAR review. Real had struggled to create clear opportunities before the 19-year-old broke the deadlock.
Kylian Mbappe endured a frustrating evening, missing several good chances and being denied by Villarreal goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. England midfielder Jude Bellingham was also booked for a foul as Real struggled to establish control despite securing all three points.
The victory came after Barcelona had beaten Getafe 3-0 earlier in the day.
After eight matches, Real Madrid remain six points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, with Mourinho’s side scheduled to visit their rivals on 25 October.
