Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 through Yan Diomande as Vinicius Junior is sent off for hair pull

Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, 10 October, with Yan Diomande scoring the only goal, but the result was overshadowed by a red card for Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian came off the bench, had a goal ruled out and was then sent off after a VAR review showed him pulling the hair of Villarreal midfielder Nathan Saliba. Jose Mourinho's ten men held on, and Madrid stay six points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona. This follows on from the build-up to the game, which was dominated by Kylian Mbappe's return from a knee injury.

Diomande breaks the deadlock

Mbappe started up front and was Madrid's most dangerous player in the first half. He hit the outside of the post early on and was denied by Villarreal goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, who saved from him again later in the game. The first half finished goalless, and Thibaut Courtois had to make two saves just before the hour to keep Villarreal out.

The breakthrough came in the 62nd minute. Federico Valverde found Diomande, who finished low into the far corner. The goal was initially ruled out but stood after a VAR check, and it was the young forward's first at the Bernabeu.

Vinicius: from the bench to an early bath

Mourinho had left Vinicius out of the starting line-up, ending a run of 29 consecutive home starts, according to data cited by Yahoo Sports. He came on seven minutes into the second half and soon thought he had doubled the lead. VAR intervened again, this time spotting that Vinicius had pulled Saliba's hair in the build-up. The goal was cancelled and the winger was shown a straight red card.

Madrid then had to defend for the final stages with ten men. The game grew tense, with Jude Bellingham, Ibrahima Konate, Antonio Rudiger, Aurelien Tchouameni and Mbappe all booked, the last of those for protesting in stoppage time. The length of Vinicius's suspension had not been confirmed when this article was published.

What the numbers say

Defensively, it was one of Madrid's better afternoons. Villarreal's chances added up to just 0.59 expected goals, the lowest Madrid have allowed in a game this season, according to Yahoo Sports. Diomande was also among Madrid's most involved attackers, with eight touches in the opposition box and three chances created.

For Mbappe, the match extended a short drought to two games without a goal, despite his efforts hitting close to one expected goal on the day.

Table and what comes next

The win takes Madrid to 18 points from eight matches. Barcelona, who beat Getafe 3-0 this weekend, have won all eight of their league games and lead on 24 points.

Madrid now turn to the Champions League, hosting AS Roma on Wednesday, 14 October. Their next La Liga fixture is against Sevilla on Sunday, 18 October.

Key takeaways

• Real Madrid beat Villarreal 1-0 at the Bernabeu on Saturday, 10 October 2026.
• Yan Diomande scored in the 62nd minute, assisted by Federico Valverde, after a VAR check.
• Substitute Vinicius Junior had a goal cancelled and was sent off for pulling Nathan Saliba's hair.
• Madrid are on 18 points, six behind leaders Barcelona (24).

FAQ

Who scored for Real Madrid against Villarreal? Yan Diomande scored the only goal in the 62nd minute after a pass from Federico Valverde.

Why was Vinicius Junior sent off against Villarreal? A VAR review showed he pulled the hair of Villarreal's Nathan Saliba. His goal was ruled out and he was shown a straight red card.

Did Kylian Mbappe play against Villarreal? Yes. He started, hit the post and forced several saves from Peter Gulacsi, but did not score.

Sources: Al Jazeera, VAVEL, 101 Great Goals, Yahoo Sports