This action followed a tense and controversial match, during which Mourinho repeatedly reacted to the refereeing team's decisions.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Mourinho appeared to want to avoid the risk of disciplinary action if he made angry statements about the officiating. The 63-year-old coach was reportedly concerned about a potential touchline ban, which would lead to his absence from the El Clasico match against Barca on 25/10.

As of now, there has been no official statement from Mourinho or Real Madrid on the matter.

The tension in the match stemmed from an incident in the 73rd minute. Vinicius, who entered the field in the 52nd minute, scored what appeared to be Real's second goal. However, after consulting VAR, referee Isidro Diaz de Mera determined that the Brazilian forward had pulled Nathan Saliba's hair in an earlier challenge.

Not only was the goal disallowed, but Vinicius also received a direct red card. This decision left Real Madrid playing with one less player for the final 20 minutes and sparked a series of strong reactions on the field.

Mourinho clearly showed his displeasure on the sideline. In addition to Vinicius's red card, the Portuguese coach saw five other players cautioned: Jude Bellingham, Ibrahima Konate, Antonio Rudiger, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Kylian Mbappe.

AS reported that the refereeing team's management of the match frustrated Real Madrid's coaching staff. Nevertheless, Mourinho chose to remain silent after the match, opting not to escalate the controversy in the press room.

This was a notable development, as Mourinho has not hesitated to criticize referees in the early weeks of the season. After a 1-2 loss to Atletico Madrid in september, he publicly complained about several decisions, arguing that the opponent should have received two red cards in the first half. At that time, Mourinho also referenced controversial incidents in other la liga matches, questioning the application of rules and consistency in officiating. These statements increased tension between Real Madrid and Spanish referees.

Before the Villarreal match, Mourinho had displayed a different attitude by publicly defending Vinicius, who was under pressure due to declining form and negative reactions from some fans. He argued that the Brazilian forward needed support to rediscover his best form, rather than constant criticism.

However, he did not start Vinicius. After coming on, the Brazilian forward helped improve Real Madrid's attack but then put himself at the center of controversy by pulling an opponent's hair.

After the match, Vinicius publicly apologized to his teammates and fans. The 26-year-old forward faces a potential suspension of one to three matches, according to the Spanish Football Federation's disciplinary regulations for violent conduct. This means he could miss the El Clasico against Barca, depending on the severity of the ban.

Despite the controversies, Real Madrid secured the win thanks to Yan Diomande's only goal in the 62nd minute. From a pass by Federico Valverde, the Ivorian player turned and struck the ball past goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. The goal was initially disallowed for offside before VAR confirmed it as legitimate. This was Diomande's first goal since joining Real Madrid this summer.

However, the victory could not mask the issues in the Royal team's play. They continued to lack cohesion in attack and relied on their defense and Thibaut Courtois's saves to maintain the score while playing with ten men.

After eight la liga matchdays, Real Madrid ranks third, six points behind league leaders Barca. This gap further increases the pressure on Mourinho's team, especially with the direct clash between the two teams at Camp Nou approaching.

According to AS, Mourinho is expected to return to the media on 13/10, during a press conference in Rome before a Champions League match. At that time, he may have to address unanswered questions regarding Vinicius's red card, his reactions to the referees, and the reason for refusing to attend the post-match press conference after the Villarreal victory.

Quang Dung