Vinicius Junior apologises after red card as Real Madrid edge past Villarreal

Issa Said October 11, 2026

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

The Brazil forward reacted to the incident on social media after the match, according to Spanish newspaper Marca. Vinicius, who came on as a substitute in the second half, posted a brief message on Instagram after receiving his red card in the 72nd minute.

“The happiness continues… I apologise to my team and its supporters,” he wrote.

The message combined his celebration of Real Madrid’s win with an apology for leaving the side with 10 players during the closing stages of the match.

Vinicius’ dismissal followed one of the most contentious moments of the game. He appeared to have scored Real Madrid’s second goal after putting the ball into the net, but the referee ruled that he had fouled a Villarreal defender during the challenge before the finish.

The goal was disallowed after Vinicius was judged to have pulled Saliba’s hair. In the same incident, the referee showed the Brazilian a straight red card, forcing him to leave the pitch and go to the dressing room.

Clearly angered by the decision, Vinicius made several protesting gestures as he walked off the field.

Real Madrid had to protect their narrow advantage with 10 men after Yann Diomande had scored the only goal of the game in the 63rd minute.

The forward returned to the issue shortly afterwards by sharing another post on his Instagram story. The post expressed his frustration at what he believes is repeated unfavourable treatment from referees.

It included the comment: “The player who always gets yellow and red cards is Vinicius. What a disgrace.”

The message was accompanied by a series of photographs from different matches. They showed incidents in which Vinicius believes opponents escaped punishment despite either making challenges against him or striking him.

The post was shared on social media on 10 October 2026.