Vinícius Júnior sent off as Madrid edge Villarreal to stay in title race
Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 to stay six points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, but the victory was overshadowed by Vinícius Júnior’s red card. A VAR review found that the substitute had pulled Nathan Saliba’s hair; his apparent goal was disallowed and he was sent off, potentially putting his place in the 25 October El Clásico at risk.
Yan Diomandé scored the only goal, his first for Madrid, after Federico Valverde set him up. Madrid held on with 10 players, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made key saves; Kylian Mbappé, back from a knee problem, hit the post and was denied several times. The win provisionally lifted Madrid to third, and Aurélien Tchouaméni questioned the decision while saying the result mattered most.
- Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 to remain six points behind Barcelona.
- Vinícius was sent off after VAR reviewed a hair pull.
- Diomandé scored his first goal for Madrid.
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Real Madrid compete in La Liga, Spain's top football league. Barcelona currently lead the standings by six points, meaning Madrid must win regularly if they want to challenge for the title this season.
Vinícius Júnior is one of Madrid's most important attacking players. His individual performances are central to the team's ability to score goals and win matches, making his availability crucial to their hopes of winning the league.
El Clásico is the rivalry fixture between Real Madrid and Barcelona, one of world football's biggest matches, and is scheduled for 25 October. The match has major implications for the Spanish league title race, and any loss of key players through injury or suspension could significantly affect Madrid's prospects in this crucial encounter.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The red card was correct because hair pulling is clear unsporting conduct that VAR properly identified, and consistent enforcement of such behaviour protects player safety and prevents escalation. Rules must apply equally to all players regardless of their status or the match's importance, ensuring the system remains fair and principled rather than arbitrary.
The case against
Whilst hair pulling is wrong, a straight red for such minor fleeting contact is disproportionate punishment that fundamentally altered the match and unjustly removed a key player from the crucial El Clásico. Referees apply proportionality consistently in football; similar minor contact incidents routinely go uncarded, and applying such strict interpretation here damages competitive integrity more than the original misconduct itself.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior sent off for hair pulling in victory over Villarreal”.