‘They Forgot’—Vinicius Jr’s Contrasting Public, Private Response to Real Madrid Red Card

Vinícius Júnior offered a public apology after he was sent off for pulling the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba during Real Madrid’s hotly controversial 1–0 win on Saturday night. However, the Brazilian’s camp reportedly questioned the consistency of La Liga’s referees in a response with a different tone.

It was quite the two minutes for Madrid’s No. 7. With the hosts already in front thanks to Yan Diomande’s crisp swipe into the bottom corner, Vinícius Jr thought he had doubled their lead and broken his seven-game goal drought. Wild celebrations ensued, with José Mourinho awkwardly making his way across the pitch, half-running, half-jogging with all the commitment of a commuter vaguely embarrassed to be running after their bus.

That scrum was soon broken up by referee Isidro Díaz Mera, who was directed to the touchline by the video assistant referee (VAR), Alejandro Muñiz, to take another look at the footage. Upon review, it was clear that Vinícius Jr had a handful of Saliba’s hair before darting past him to meeting Jude Bellingham’s deft cutback in the penalty box.

The goal was chalked off and, to the consternation of a boiling Bernabéu, Vinícius Jr was shown a straight red card.

Timeline of Events

69:54: Vinícius Jr clearly tugs Saliba’s hair.

70:03: An excellent run down the left wing from Bellingham is capped off by Vinícius Jr

70: 17: Mourinho joins in the celebration

71:19: Referee Isidro Díaz Mera goes to the pitchside monitor to review the footage

71:57: Vinícius Jr is shown a straight red card which prompts a fracas

72:15: Thanks to the intervention of his teammates, Vinícius Jr makes his way down the tunnel

Madrid hung on to all three points across the final 20 minutes and Vinícius Jr saw the bright side on social media. “The joy continues,” he wrote on Instagram. “My apologies to my team and the fans.”