Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Villarreal marred by Vinicius' red card

Real Madrid secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Villarreal on Saturday to keep their La Liga title hopes alive, but the match ended in controversy after Vinicius Junior received a red card.

The Brazilian winger had opened his account, only for the goal to be disallowed. A VAR review determined that Vinicius Junior pulled the hair of Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba during the buildup. Referee Isidro Diaz de Mera then sent him off, leaving the visitors to defend their lead with 10 men.

Yan Diomande eventually broke the deadlock with his first goal for the club. The summer signing, valued at 140 million euro ($157m), finished sharply into the far corner after Federico Valverde threaded a pass through the defense. Real Madrid held on to take the three points.

The result leaves Real Madrid six points behind league leaders Barcelona. Barcelona extended their perfect start with a comfortable 3-0 win over Getafe. Atletico Madrid sits five points adrift in second place after a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Alaves.

Madrid manager Jose Mourinho started with Vinicius Junior on the bench following the player’s international duty with Brazil. Meanwhile, striker Kylian Mbappe returned to the starting lineup after missing time with a knee injury sustained while playing for France. The forward drew mixed reactions from the Santiago Bernabeu crowd, facing occasional whistles from supporters who questioned his recent work rate, alongside applause from fans backing his Ballon d’Or campaign.

Madrid struggled to create clear chances in the first half, though Mbappe hit the crossbar early and forced a solid save from Villarreal goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. The visitors limited Madrid’s attacks, but the home side tightened up defensively. Thibaut Courtois made several crucial stops to preserve the lead, ultimately securing a gritty win for Mourinho’s side.