Vinicius Jr. of Real Madrid was shown a red card during a La Liga match against Valencia on January 3, 2025. The incident occurred in the 79th minute when Valencia was leading 1-0.
Vinicius Jr. was sent off after he pushed Valencia's goalkeeper, Stole Dimitrievski, in the head/neck area following an altercation. This was classified as violent conduct by referee César Soto Grado, who made the decision after reviewing the incident with the aid of VAR.
The catalyst for the red card was a missed scoring opportunity by Vinicius Jr. due to a block by Valencia's defender, Dimitri Foulquier. Following this, Dimitrievski tapped Vinicius on the back, which seemed to provoke the Brazilian's reaction. Post-red card, Vinicius Jr. displayed anger, attempting to confront the referee and had to be restrained by teammates and club staff before being escorted off the field.
The referee's report detailed that Vinicius was dismissed for "deliberately hitting an opponent in the head without the ball being in play, using non-negligible force." It also noted the necessity of restraining him after the red card was shown. Vinicius Jr. later apologized on social media for his actions while expressing regret, but also appreciation for his team's victory despite his ejection. Real Madrid announced they would appeal the red card decision.
This incident has sparked much discussion, especially considering Vinicius Jr.'s previous confrontations at Mestalla Stadium, where he has faced racist abuse. As a result of this red card, Vinicius Jr. will miss the next two La Liga matches but can still participate in the Spanish Super Cup.
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