Mourinho boycotts press conference as a precaution after scandal surrounding Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid's star striker Vinicius Junior has publicly asked for forgiveness after the red card for pulling Villarreal player Nathan Saliba's hair.

“Apologies to my team and my fans,” wrote the 26-year-old Brazilian on Instagram. However, he did not mention his opponent in his post. The Royals won the game in the Spanish league 1-0 against Villarreal on Saturday evening.

In the 72nd minute, the substitute Brazilian celebrated his goal with his teammates to make it 2-0. A relief for the winger, who had recently been heavily criticized, was initially on the bench against Villarreal and came on as a substitute in the 52nd minute. Even coach José Mourinho joined the crowd and celebrated with his striker.

But that was premature. Meanwhile, the referee team checked the previous scene and the referee Isidro Díaz de Mera Escuderos retroactively disallowed the goal. Vinicius pulled Saliba's hair while sprinting across the field and was subsequently sent off for it.

Afterwards, the Real striker could hardly be stopped. He wanted to attack Díaz de Mera but had to be held back by his teammates. Madrid then saved the 1-0 despite being outnumbered over time. The decisive goal was scored by ex-Leipzig player Yan Diomande (63'), who only moved from RB to Madrid in the summer.

Again and again Vinicius Junior – Real Madrid has a problem

It is not the first time that Vinicius has been in the spotlight. He repeatedly attacks opponents verbally and offends with provocative cheering gestures. He is also often insulted and insulted in Spanish stadiums. Last year, several fans were convicted of racist insults directed at the offensive star, including suspended prison sentences. In February this year, Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni allegedly racially insulted Vinicius in a Champions League game. The Argentine was then banned.

His red card made not only him angry, but also coach Mourinho. The Portuguese was so angry that he boycotted the press conference after the game. According to Spanish media, he is said to have muzzled himself to protect himself from statements that could jeopardize his participation in the Clásico at FC Barcelona in two weeks (October 25, 9 p.m.).

For Vinicius Junior, on the other hand, things are likely to be tight. Referee Díaz de Mera recorded the “aggressive behavior” and “loud protests” in his match report. There is a risk of a longer ban.