A thoroughly nasty act instead of a dream goal! Vinicius Jr. is sent off for gross unsporting conduct

First the jubilation, then the shock: Vini Jr. was shown the red card in Real's home game against Villarreal for an extremely unsporting act.

It was a textbook counter-attack, so slick that even Jose Mourinho sprinted to the huddle by the corner flag to wrap his arms around substitute Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian had helped drive a move from midfield that ran the length of the pitch and ended with Real Madrid going 2-0 up against Villarreal after a pass from Jude Bellingham (71st minute).

Yet what had felt like a little fairy tale after the Brazilian's recent dip in form, just one goal this season and then a place on the bench in the first game after the international break, quickly turned into a nightmare for Vini Jr., Mourinho and Real.

As the Bernabeu and the players in white were still celebrating, referee Isidro Diaz checked the goal and the build-up on the monitor at the side of the pitch before showing Vinicius Junior the red card.

What did Vinicius Junior do to Nathan Saliba during the counter-attack?

The reason was clear: in the foot race in midfield, after the Brazilian had played the ball left to Bellingham, he earned the decisive edge in his duel with Villarreal's Nathan Saliba by violently yanking the Canadian back by his hair. Saliba lost his stride so badly that he could no longer keep up with Vini.

That left only one outcome: Real's goal was disallowed and the striker was sent off for violent conduct or unsporting behaviour. He reacted furiously to the dismissal, first in total disbelief and then in anger. Antonio Rüdiger, helped by Arda Güler, had to restrain his team-mate to stop him going too far in confronting referee Diaz.

Even with 10 men, Real held on to their lead and did not let reigning champions Barcelona, who on Saturday also once again won comfortably and convincingly, pull any further away.

New signing Yan Diomande proved the matchwinner. The former Leipzig player scored his first goal for Los Blancos after good work from Fede Valverde (63rd minute). The 19-year-old Ivorian had taken Vinicius's place in Mourinho's starting line-up.