Madrid’s Bernabéu night ended in turmoil despite a 1-0 win over Villarreal, with Vinicius Junior sent off after a VAR review for pulling William Saliba’s hair and then reacting angrily as he left the field.
Key takeaways
- Vinicius received a straight red card from referee Díaz de Mera.
- The dismissal followed a video review of an incident involving Saliba.
- Teammates had to restrain the Brazilian after the referee produced the card.
- Vinicius later pushed a LaLiga match official positioned near the VAR screens.
- Kylian Mbappé was given an explanation by the referee while Marc Cucurella protested the decision.
A celebration turned into a sending-off
The flashpoint came after Vinicius had been celebrating his goal. Saliba told him that his hair had been pulled, prompting the VAR to alert Díaz de Mera. The referee went to the monitor, reviewed the footage and immediately decided that a dismissal was warranted.
Jude Bellingham initially played down the incident, saying it was “nothing” while urging the Bernabéu crowd to raise the noise. His response changed when the red card appeared. “This is no longer football,” Bellingham said, visibly disbelieving of the outcome.
Vinicius repeatedly asked whether the decision was really a red card, then challenged the referee with the question: “Why are you doing that?” His teammates stepped in to hold him back as the argument continued.
Anger continues by the VAR area
On his way towards the tunnel, Vinicius described the situation as “madness”. Before reaching the dressing room, however, he pushed a LaLiga employee standing behind the VAR monitors. The official was the match director, and Vinicius was heard directing an insult at LaLiga.
While the Brazilian made his exit, Díaz de Mera spoke with Mbappé to explain the decision. Cucurella also confronted the referee with complaints as the final stages of the Bernabéu match were overshadowed by the disciplinary incident.
