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Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has apologised to his teammates and fans after a controversial red card left him facing the possibility of missing the blockbuster El Clasico against Barcelona.
The Brazilian was sent off during Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Villarreal on Saturday after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review showed him pulling defender Nathan Saliba’s hair.
Vinicius, who came on as a substitute in the 52nd minute, thought he had scored his second goal of the match when he found the net. However, the referee overturned the goal and dismissed him after reviewing the incident.
The 26-year-old reacted angrily to the decision, shouting at referee Isidro Diaz de Mera as teammates tried to restrain him and escort him off the pitch.
He later took to social media to apologise, writing: “sorry to the team and the fans”.
Villarreal defender Juan Foyth acknowledged that the incident warranted a red card, although he suggested Vinicius had not intended to hurt his opponent.
“I don’t think he meant to hurt anyone, but it is a red card,” Foyth said.
Under Spanish football regulations, pulling an opponent’s hair is classified as violent conduct and can attract a suspension of one to three matches when no injury occurs.
Real Madrid’s next three league fixtures are against Sevilla, Barcelona and Racing Santander. A ban extending beyond the Sevilla match would put Vinicius at risk of missing El Clasico, scheduled for October 25 at Barcelona’s Camp Nou.
Despite the controversy, Real Madrid held on to secure all three points against Villarreal. The club must now await the disciplinary committee’s decision to determine whether one of its key attackers will be available for the crucial clash with Barcelona.
