Vinícius Junior, Real Madrid’s star forward, was sent off for the second time in his career after a confrontation with Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski at Mestalla.
The incident took place in the 79th minute, with Real Madrid behind 1-0, marking a key moment in the match.
From the start, Vinícius was met with a hostile atmosphere at Mestalla, enduring taunts and frequent fouls. His frustration grew as he voiced complaints to the referee, particularly after a penalty appeal in the first half was denied.
The turning point came after Vinícius missed an important scoring chance, and Dimitrievski tapped him on the back, encouraging him to get up.
Furious, Vinícius responded by hitting the goalkeeper in the neck. Dimitrievski dramatically fell to the ground, further escalating the situation.
While referee César Soto Grado initially issued yellow cards to both players, a VAR review led to the decision being changed, resulting in a direct red card for Vinícius. This marked the Brazilian’s second red card of his career, his first since returning from a suspension for accumulating bookings.
The incident has sparked debate, with some questioning whether Vinícius’ actions were overly harsh and whether Dimitrievski’s role in provoking the altercation was significant.
Regardless, the red card has important consequences for Real Madrid, who will now have to play without their star forward in the next match.
