The Brazilian forward Vinícius Junior, a key player for Real Madrid, was sent off for the second time in his professional career. Once again, the incident took place at Mestalla during a match against Valencia, following an altercation where he struck the neck of Macedonian goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski. Referee César Soto Grado interpreted the action as violent conduct and issued a red card.

Hostile Environment for Vinícius

From the beginning of the match, Vinícius faced a challenging atmosphere at Mestalla, where offensive chants like "Vinícius balón de playa" echoed through the stadium. Clearly frustrated, the Brazilian repeatedly protested to the referee over perceived fouls, including an unawarded penalty in the first half.

The Incident with Dimitrievski

The turning point came in the 79th minute, with Real Madrid trailing 1-0. Vinícius missed a crucial scoring opportunity after a defensive play by Dimitri Foulquier, which kept Valencia in the lead. After falling to the ground, Stole Dimitrievski tapped him on the back, seemingly urging him to get up. Enraged, the Brazilian retaliated by striking the goalkeeper’s neck. Dimitrievski, exaggerating the incident, fell to the ground, escalating tensions further.

VAR Review and Red Card

Initially, referee César Soto Grado issued yellow cards to both players. However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, and a direct red card was shown to Vinícius Junior, who had just returned from a suspension for accumulated bookings in Vallecas.