Manhandled by Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu during the 8th day of La Liga, Real Madrid finally snatched a precious victory (1-0) thanks to Yan Diomandé, scorer of his first goal in the Merengue jersey. But this evening, which could have allowed José Mourinho’s men to get closer to the top of the ranking, was especially marked by Vinicius Júnior’s outburst. While the Brazilian thought he had made the break after a perfectly executed counter-attack with Jude Bellingham, his goal was canceled after an intervention by the VAR. In question, a particularly difficult gesture to defend from the Madrid winger, who had voluntarily pulled Nathan Saliba’s hair to get rid of his marking. Referee Isidoro Díaz de Mera did not hesitate to issue the direct red card. Furious, the number 7 of Real Madrid then increased his protests, to the point of having to be restrained by his teammates to prevent the situation from degenerating further. A lunar sequence which could cost him dearly, as the next Clasico against FC Barcelona is fast approaching. However, in the Spanish capital, several media quickly came to the player’s defense, especially denouncing the refereeing management of the match and the climate of tension which now surrounds Casa Blanca.
“Tebas, resign immediately! A real fiasco»
On the side of Marcathe handling of the case is particularly revealing of the anger which has seized the Madrid environment. In its account of the meeting, the daily describes an explosive end to the match, marked by the intervention of the VAR, the protests of the Villarreal bench and the uncontrollable reaction of the Real players and staff. “The match heated up, with the entry into play of Gerard Moreno and Mikautadze”tells the media, before returning to the disputed action. “Bellingham overflowed on the left, flanked by Vinicius, and the Brazilian concluded the action with a back pass from the Englishman. The Villarreal bench invaded the pitch to protest Vinicius’ previous gesture, a hair pull on Saliba. VAR intervened. The goal was disallowed and a red card was shown. » Marca then insists on the atmosphere which has become electric at the Bernabéu, emphasizing that“a huge altercation broke out”that José Mourinho was “out of it” and that the stadium was “in boiling”. But it is above all the conclusion of the newspaper which testifies to its indignation, with an outing directly directed against the authorities of Spanish football. “Tebas, resign immediately!” A real fiasco. » A particularly virulent formula which illustrates the desire to Marca to place the incident in a broader context of contestation of arbitration. If Vinicius’s hair pulling is difficult to contest in view of the images, the daily newspaper thus chooses to highlight the chaos caused by the decision and the frustration of the Madrid camp, even if it means relegating the Brazilian’s initial responsibility to the background.
A.S. adopts an approach more focused on the sporting consequences of this expulsion, while highlighting the risk of seeing Real Madrid deprived of one of its main offensive weapons for the Clasico on October 25. The Madrid daily is particularly pessimistic about the chances of seeing Vinicius participate in the meeting against Barça. “Vinicius’ participation in the Clásico is seriously compromised. In fact, there’s a 99% chance he won’t play. » A.S. recalls that the referee’s report constitutes a determining element in the evaluation of the sanction. “The rule is clear, and the referee’s report leaves no room for interpretation. » The newspaper particularly emphasizes the regulatory distinction linked to the moment when the gesture occurs, considering that an expulsion for an incident occurring while the ball is not in play could have resulted in a heavier suspension than a simple match. He also discusses the attitude of the Brazilian after his exclusion, specifying that he must have been “restrained by his teammates” and that the audio recording of the VAR mentions a “violent conduct”. For A.S.the risk is therefore considerable, since Vinicius could miss the match against Sevilla, the trip to Camp Nou and possibly another meeting depending on the decision of the competition committee. The media recalls, however, that the player apologized on social networks, with a message addressed to his team and the supporters. “I am sorry to my team and the supporters. » A speech which should not, however, be enough to erase the disciplinary consequences of his action. If AS focuses more on the facts and potential sanctions than on a frontal defense of the player, its treatment helps to highlight the sporting harm that this affair could represent for Real Madrid.
The Catalan press is jubilant
In Catalonia, the reading of the incident is significantly different, even if the local press is also primarily interested in the consequences of this expulsion for the next Clasico. Mundo Deportivo does not seek to minimize Vinicius’ responsibility in this sequence and clearly describes a gesture of aggression towards Nathan Saliba. “A gesture of aggression towards Saliba, a hair pulling, just before his goal. The goal was disallowed and Vinicius, unruly, received a direct red card. » The Barcelona daily also emphasizes the Brazilian’s reaction after the arbitration decision, emphasizing that he was “stunned and furious” and that he attacked Díaz de Mera. An attitude which could, according to the media, compromise his presence during the meeting on October 25. His conclusion is also particularly concise, with a formula which sums up the view on the Madrid winger. “Vinicius, a special case. » Where Marca denounces a fiasco and openly expresses his anger, Mundo Deportivo therefore places more emphasis on the player’s behavior and the consequences of his actions. The daily implicitly recalls that the Brazilian has placed himself in a delicate situation, while Real Madrid could need all its strength to face its historic rival. This difference in treatment illustrates the usual gap between the media of the two major Spanish cities, with the Madrid press more concerned by refereeing decisions and the Catalan press which does not fail to highlight the attacker’s excesses.
Sport adopts a line comparable to that of Mundo Deportivo relying in particular on the referee’s report to explain why Vinicius risks a suspension of several matches. The Catalan daily recalls that the expulsion is not only a hard blow for Real Madrid against Villarreal, but that it could also deprive the club of its star during several important meetings. It notably uses the terms of the report by Díaz de Mera, who justified the exclusion by the fact of having “pulled the hair of an opponent, with the ball in play, without being in conflict with each other”. The referee also described the Brazilian’s behavior after the red card, explaining that he continued to protest “screaming loud and clear”before heading towards him “with an aggressive attitude”which required the intervention of his teammates. Sport also mentions several disciplinary precedents, including that of Johan Mojica, sanctioned with a two-match suspension for a similar gesture against Roger Brugué. The media therefore believes that a sanction of at least two matches is possible, which would deprive Vinicius of the match against Sevilla and especially of the Clasico against FC Barcelona. The final decision nevertheless remains with the competition committee. Beyond this media rivalry, a reality imposes itself on Real Madrid. The behavior of his attacker could have much more serious consequences than the loss of a goal or a simple expulsion. While Casa Blanca denounces the arbitration decisions through its official channel and its players display their incomprehension, the Catalan media recall that Vinicius himself provoked the incident.
