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Vinicius Jr. once again made headlines against Valencia at Mestalla, but this time for the wrong reasons. The Brazilian winger, who has had a history of clashes in the stadium, found himself sent off during Real Madrid’s 2-1 victory over Valencia.
This was his second red card at Mestalla, a venue where he had previously made headlines for his fight against racism. Despite Real Madrid’s win, Vinicius was at the centre of controversy due to his actions on the pitch.
In the second half, Vinicius reacted violently to Valencia’s goalkeeper, Stole Dimitrievski, after being reprimanded for his continued complaints about a challenge.
This time, however, his reaction went beyond the usual protests. With no ball in play, the Brazilian pushed his hands into Dimitrievski’s face, a move that left the referee with no choice but to brandish a red card.
The referee, Soto Grado, consulted VAR before making the decision to expel Vinicius from the game.
Grado’s match report
In the match report, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Soto Grado explained the decision: Vinicius was sent off for deliberately hitting an opponent in the head with force, without the ball being involved in the incident.
“In the 79th minute the player (7) De Oliveira Do Nascimento, Vinicius Jose was expelled for the following reason: For hitting an opponent in the head deliberately, without the ball being in dispute, using a significant amount of force.
“Once he was sent off, the player had to be restrained by members of his club and taken to the changing rooms while his protests continued,” he added.
Real Madrid will appeal
Despite the red card, Real Madrid secured the win, but the focus shifted to the incident surrounding their star player.
Carlo Ancelotti confirmed after the match that they will appeal the decision, aiming to reduce the length of the suspension. The club will challenge the red card, believing it was an unjust decision and that Vinicius should not have been sent off.
Vinicius’s actions have once again sparked debate. While his skill on the pitch is unquestionable, his disciplinary issues continue to overshadow his performances.