Vinícius claims he is targeted by referees and says flair players need protection

• Madrid forward banned for four games after recent red

• ‘In the end, the yellow cards always seem to go to Vini’

Vinícius Júnior is not happy with how he is being treated by referees and wants more protection for talented players such as himself, Lamine Yamal and Julián Álvarez. Vinícius spoke out after Real Madrid’s 4-3 come-from-behind win at Roma in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Brazil forward also acknowledged he was going through a slump, but said he had “no doubt” he would regain his best form soon.

The match against Roma came hours after he was handed a four-game suspension in the Spanish league after being sent off for pulling the hair of an opponent and for protesting against the referee. “I don’t recall any other player receiving a four-match suspension,” he said. “I tried to move the player in front of me out of the way, and I ended up getting caught in his hair.

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