Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 but Vinicius sent off for hair pull

What the report says

Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 1-0 in a La Liga match on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu, a result that kept the club six points behind league leaders Barcelona, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on AFP coverage. The decisive goal came from Yan Diomande, while Real Madrid also had a strike from Vinicius Junior ruled out.

The match turned in the second half when Vinicius, who had come off the bench, was sent off after a VAR review showed him pulling Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba’s hair. His dismissal came after the disallowed goal, leaving Real Madrid to finish with 10 players. Al Jazeera reported that the team nevertheless held on through the closing stages.

The article said Kylian Mbappe started for Madrid after recovering from a knee issue sustained while playing for France during the international break. He was active in attack but did not score, and the home side spent much of the game struggling to create clear chances against a compact Villarreal defense.

The result kept Real Madrid in the chase behind Barcelona and provisionally in third place, while Atletico Madrid remained in second after their own win. The report also noted that the victory was important for Madrid after a largely uneven performance, even as the red card added frustration to the afternoon.