Vinicius Junior apologises after Real Madrid dismissal against Villarreal

Vinicius Junior has apologised to Real Madrid team-mates and supporters after being sent off during Saturday’s 1-0 La Liga win over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Brazilian winger was shown a red card in the 72nd minute, eight minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute. He believed he had scored Real Madrid’s second goal, but a VAR review ruled out the effort after identifying an incident in which he pulled Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba’s hair.

Vinicius later posted his apology on social media, writing: “Sorry to the team and the fans.”

The 26-year-old now faces a wait to learn the length of his suspension, with the possibility that he could miss Real Madrid’s important El Clasico against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on October 25.

Under Spanish Football Federation regulations, pulling an opponent’s hair is classified as violent conduct. Article 130 states that a player can be suspended for between one and three matches when the offence does not cause an injury.

Real Madrid’s next three La Liga fixtures are against Sevilla, Barcelona and Racing Santander. The disciplinary committee’s decision will determine whether Vinicius is available for any or all of those games.