Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Villarreal has not eased the club’s anger about refereeing in La Liga. Vinicius Jr. was sent off, a goal of his was ruled out, and several other decisions have been disputed. The club has backed the Brazilian and supported manager Jose Mourinho’s decision to skip his post-match press conference.
Club backs Vinicius over red card
According to Mundo Deportivo, Real Madrid remain unhappy with referee Isidro Diaz de Mera and his assistants. The club believes Vinicius’s explanation of his clash with Nathan Saliba deserves consideration. The player’s position is that the hair-pulling was accidental, not a deliberate attempt to pull his opponent’s hair.
Players and senior officials have also asked why Kang-In Lee and Cristian Romero were not sent off in the Madrid derby. Real Madrid believe these decisions show the rules are not being applied consistently.
Earlier incidents cited
According to AS, Real Madrid TV has renewed its criticism of refereeing. The channel compared Vinicius’s dismissal with earlier incidents. It said Victor Laguardia pulled Marcelo’s hair in a 2020 match against Alaves without being punished. It also pointed to January 2025, when Vinicius was sent off against Valencia for pushing goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski around the neck, while the goalkeeper escaped sanction.
The channel also counted the cards. Five Real Madrid players were booked, and Mourinho, team delegate Chendo and goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos were also sanctioned. In total, nine cards were shown to players and staff, although the team committed only eight fouls.
Mourinho skips press conference
According to MARCA, Real Madrid fully backed Mourinho’s decision to avoid the post-match press conference. He was worried that speaking about the officiating could lead to a suspension and leave him unavailable for the matches against Sevilla and Barcelona.
Mourinho made his position clear after the final whistle. “I’m not going to speak because I want to be on the bench against Sevilla and Barcelona,” he said. He had already criticised referees after the recent defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Performance questions remain
Yan Diomande scored the winner in the second half. Even so, the team struggled to move the ball through midfield and create clear chances, and the report says Mourinho must address those problems. Vinicius could also be suspended for El Clasico, depending on the outcome of the club’s complaints.
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