Vinicius Junior Apologises to Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid Teammates After Red Card vs Villarreal
- Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior received a straight red card for pulling Villarreal's Nathan Saliba's hair during their La Liga clash on Saturday
- Manager Jose Mourinho skipped his post-match press conference amid growing fury over refereeing decisions, while goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos was also sent off
- Vinicius Junior broke his silence on Instagram after the match, but his apology notably left out the Villarreal player involved in the incident
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Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior issued an apology to his teammates and supporters after being sent off for violent conduct during Saturday's La Liga fixture against Villarreal, a match that also exposed significant tensions within the club's technical area.
The Brazilian winger had just scored what appeared to be his second goal of the game when referee Isidro Diaz de Mera was directed by the video assistant referee to review the build-up to the strike.
Source: Getty Images
According to The Independent, footage showed Vinicius pulling the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba as both players sprinted down the pitch.
The referee reversed the goal and produced a straight red card, reducing Madrid to ten men from the 73rd minute.
The dismissal triggered a furious reaction on the touchline as Vinicius screamed at Diaz de Mera as his teammates worked to restrain him. Manager Jose Mourinho, who had already rushed from the technical area to join the goal celebrations, was visibly enraged by the decision.
The Portuguese coach received a yellow card and had to be physically held back by staff on more than one occasion as decisions continued to go against his side.
Goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos was sent off entirely, and club official Chendo also received a booking as the atmosphere in the technical area deteriorated rapidly.
Mourinho cancels press conference
With tensions running high and bookings continuing to accumulate, Mourinho took the unusual step of cancelling his post-match press conference.
Reports suggest the decision was deliberate, as the manager feared that any public comments about the refereeing would result in him facing a suspension from the governing bodies.
Despite the chaotic scenes, Madrid still managed to hold on for the victory against Villarreal.
Vinicius breaks silence on Instagram
After the match, Vinicius Junior addressed the controversy on social media, One Football reports.
"Sorry to my team and my fans," he wrote on Instagram,
Though the Real Madrid star's post made no mention of Saliba, the Villarreal player whose hair he pulled.
Those inside the Madrid dressing room, meanwhile, maintained that the winger had no intention of hurting his opponent during the incident.
The red card will now rule Vinicius out of upcoming league fixtures at a critical stage of the season.
Madrid's squad and coaching staff are said to be closing ranks around their star player, though the internal mood remains unsettled.
The episode has added fresh pressure to a dressing room already navigating one of the most demanding stretches of the current campaign, with the title race still very much alive and key matches ahead.
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Why Mourinho boycotted press conference
Earlier, Legit.ng reported about Mourinho’s decision to skip the post-match press conference after Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0.
Mourinho reportedly feared that speaking to reporters could earn him a ban and keep him off the bench for upcoming matches against Sevilla and Barcelona.
Source: Legit.ng
