Vinicius: What Football Laws Say About Neck Grabbing as Real Madrid Star Escapes Red Card

• Vinicius Junior was lucky to avoid a direct sending off vs RB Leipzig
• He grabbed an opponent by the throat a few minutes before scoring
• Sports Brief breaks down what football laws say about such offences

Real Madrid were caught in another refereeing storm, only that this time, they benefitted from the decision.

Fresh from the contentious Valencia game that saw Jude Bellingham red-carded, Los Blancos returned to Europe to face RB Leipzig in the second leg of their Round of 16 clash.

Carrying a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg, Vinicius Junior doubled their advantage after a fine solo run from Bellingham.

Willi Orban equalised proceedings on the night, but the German side were unable to get another goal to force extra time.

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However, nine minutes before Vinicius opened the scoring, the Brazilian was involved in a tussle with Orban. The winger grabbed the Hungarian defender by the neck.

Referee, Davide Massa, only issued a yellow card to Vinicius, much to the frustration of Leipzig players.

"The referees don’t have the guts to put such players down. He grabs my neck with both hands. That’s disrespectful," Orban told Sky Sports after the game.

Should Vinicius Junior have seen red?

Section 12 of IFAB Laws dictates that violent conduct should always result in a red card unless the referee deems the contact minimal.

"A player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible."

Has anyone ever been sent off for neck grabbing?

Yes - there is a precedent of players getting a chance at an early shower when they grab opponents by the throat.

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Manchester City's midfield maestro, Rodri, was last year sent off after he held Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White by the neck.

His Manchester United counterpart, Casemiro, also saw red for a similar offence on Crystal Palace's Will Hughes.

Carragher names teams superior to Real Madrid

At the same time, Jamie Carragher has downplayed Real Madrid's chances of conquering Europe this season, backing one of Manchester City, Arsenal, or Inter Milan to win the title.

Sports Brief previously reported that the Liverpool legend poured cold water on the record European champions winning it again after an unsatisfactory display vs. RB Leipzig.