Real Madrid ground out a tight 1-0 victory over Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday to stay within six points of La Liga leaders Barcelona — but the win was overshadowed by one of the strangest dismissals of the season, as Vinicius Junior was sent off for pulling an opponent's hair.
Yan Diomande's sharp first goal for the club earned Jose Mourinho's side three hard-fought points, yet it was the Brazilian winger's chaotic cameo — a scored-but-disallowed goal, a VAR review, and a straight red — that will dominate the headlines, Al Jazeera reported.
Table of Contents
- Diomande breaks the deadlock
- Vinicius: goal, VAR, red card
- Mbappe's frustrating afternoon
- What it means for the title race
- Key takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
- Read more on Chronicle
Diomande breaks the deadlock
Madrid improved defensively after a drab opening half but struggled to build much in attack, with Villarreal soon gaining a foothold and restricting the hosts' opportunities. The breakthrough came from the club's record summer arrival: the Ivorian winger, Madrid's €140 million ($157 million) signing, produced a sharp low finish into the far corner after good work from Federico Valverde played him in — his first goal for the club.
Kylian Mbappe had come closest in the first half, striking the post from Alvaro Carreras's layoff before forcing a good save from Villarreal goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. There were some mild whistles for Madrid's display from the home fans at half-time, but Diomande's strike sent them into the break able to celebrate.
Vinicius: goal, VAR, red card
Mourinho started with out-of-form Vinicius on the bench, following his trips to Australia and India with Brazil during the international break. The Brazilian winger thought he had doubled Madrid's lead after Jude Bellingham charged in down the left and cut the ball back for him — only for joy to turn to fury.
Referee Isidro Diaz de Mera was called to the monitor by VAR, which showed Vinicius had pulled the hair of Villarreal's Nathan Saliba in the buildup. The goal was chalked off and the Brazilian dismissed, leaving Madrid to battle through the final stages with ten men. Thibaut Courtois, who had made a couple of smart saves earlier in the half, produced an acrobatic stop to thwart Carlos Romero as Madrid held on.
Mbappe's frustrating afternoon
Mbappe was fit to start after suffering a knee problem playing for France during the international break, and was Madrid's most threatening player in the first half. But it was a frustrating afternoon for the superstar forward: there was a smattering of whistles for him, with some fans believing he has been unprofessional in recent weeks, alongside applause from other supporters.
The Ballon d'Or candidate, whose trophy ceremony takes place later this month, hit the woodwork and was denied again by Hungarian goalkeeper Gulacsi as he left the Bernabeu still hunting for goals.
What it means for the title race
Madrid's win moves them provisionally third, six points behind champions Barcelona, who lead La Liga after a 3-0 win over Getafe. Atletico Madrid sit five points behind Barcelona in second after edging Alaves 2-1. Mourinho's men have now held on for three important points while staying on the champions' trail — but they will do it without Vinicius for the next match, and the Brazilian's discipline will be under intense scrutiny.
Key takeaways
- Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 at the Bernabeu thanks to Yan Diomande's first goal for the club.
- Vinicius Junior was sent off after VAR caught him pulling Nathan Saliba's hair, voiding his disallowed-goal cameo.
- Madrid stay six points behind leaders Barcelona and provisionally climb to third.
- Kylian Mbappe endured a frustrating afternoon despite being Madrid's biggest threat.
- Thibaut Courtois produced a late acrobatic stop to preserve the win with ten men.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Vinicius Junior sent off against Villarreal?
Substitute Vinicius thought he had scored Madrid's second goal, but a VAR review showed he had pulled the hair of Villarreal's Nathan Saliba in the buildup. Referee Isidro Diaz de Mera disallowed the goal and sent the Brazilian off.
Who scored for Real Madrid against Villarreal?
Yan Diomande, the club's €140 million summer signing from the Ivory Coast, scored his first goal for Real Madrid with a sharp low finish into the far corner after being played in by Federico Valverde.
Where does this leave the La Liga title race?
Barcelona lead the table after a 3-0 win over Getafe. Atletico Madrid are second, five points behind, while Real Madrid sit six points behind the leaders in provisional third place.
Is Jose Mourinho the Real Madrid manager?
Yes — Mourinho is in charge of Madrid this season, and it was his decision to start the out-of-form Vinicius on the bench following the winger's international trips with Brazil.
When is the Ballon d'Or ceremony?
The Ballon d'Or trophy is awarded later this month, with Kylian Mbappe among the leading candidates despite his frustrating afternoon against Villarreal.
Sources
- Al Jazeera — "Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 but Vinicius sent off for hair pull" (10 October 2026)
