Real Madrid are preparing to challenge two refereeing decisions from their 1-0 victory over Villarreal, with Vinicius Jr.'s dismissal and Ibrahima Konate's yellow card both under scrutiny, according to Melchor Ruiz on COPE .
The club's immediate priority is to contest Konate's booking, which they believe was unjustified after replays appeared to show minimal contact with a Villarreal player.
Real Madrid are also considering the consequences of Vinicius' sending-off, although the Brazilian's dismissal has been viewed differently within the club.
The outcome of the appeals could have implications for Real Madrid's upcoming fixtures, particularly the highly anticipated El Clasico against Barcelona, depending on the disciplinary ruling.
Konate was booked in the 81st minute of the match after the referee awarded a foul against the French defender.
The centre-back protested the decision, insisting he had not touched his opponent and questioning why the challenge warranted a yellow card.
Real Madrid feel Konate should not have been booked. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
While the decision initially appeared reasonable in real time, the subsequent replays have strengthened Real Madrid's belief that the contact was insufficient to justify the booking.
According to Ruiz, the club intend to submit an appeal and is confident they have grounds to overturn the decision.
A successful challenge would remove the booking from Konate's disciplinary record, although the final decision rests with the relevant authorities.
It must be noted that this was Konate's fourth yellow card of the season. If he receives another, he will face an automatic suspension for the next match.
This is crucial because Real Madrid face Sevilla next before the El Clasico, and if the Villarreal decision is not overturned, and the Frenchman is booked in the next match, he will be suspended for the Barcelona clash.
Furthermore, despite accepting that Vinicius' hair-pull on Villarreal defender Nathan Saliba could justify a red card under the rules, the club is frustrated by what they consider inconsistent use of VAR this season.
Real Madrid also plan to appeal Vinicius Jr.'s red card vs Villarreal. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
According to the report, Real Madrid have highlighted three other incidents from the current season, arguing that potentially serious offences were not reviewed by VAR and did not result in red cards.
The club believe these cases support their concerns about the consistency of refereeing decisions .
However, these are Real Madrid's grievances rather than established findings of refereeing errors, and the incidents would need to be assessed individually.
The Vinicius case remains especially important because any suspension could affect his availability for El Clasico.
An appeal or disciplinary review may influence the final outcome, but his participation against Barcelona cannot be assumed until an official decision is made.
