Vinicius Junior reignites debate with Instagram post after Villarreal dismissal

Vinicius Junior has fuelled further controversy following his red card against Villarreal by sharing a supporter’s post criticising refereeing decisions against him.

The Real Madrid forward was sent off after appearing to pull the hair of a Villarreal player. The incident also led to a goal being disallowed after Vinicius had scored shortly after coming on as a substitute.

The dismissal means the Brazil international will miss Real Madrid’s next El Clasico, adding to the consequences of an incident that overshadowed the end of the match despite his important contribution to the victory.

After the game, Vinicius apologised to his team-mates and Real Madrid supporters in a message posted on his Instagram account.

However, according to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, he later shared a fan’s message on his Instagram story, prompting another wave of discussion around the sending-off.

The post included footage of Vinicius’ performances in several matches and criticised the decisions that had been made against him. It said: “It is always Vinicius who gets the yellow and red cards. What a disgrace, what a gang!”

Vinicius then reposted the message and added three smiling emojis. The response appeared to be an indirect reaction to the debate surrounding his dismissal, with the controversy continuing ahead of the eagerly anticipated El Clasico.