Vinícius Júnior Racism Allegation: Champions League Match Paused

Lisbon, Portugal – A Champions League knockout play-off match between Benfica and Real Madrid was temporarily halted on Tuesday evening after Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of racial abuse. The incident occurred shortly after Vinícius scored the opening goal in the 50th minute at the Estádio da Luz, leading to a ten-minute suspension of play as officials activated UEFA’s anti-racism protocol.

The Brazilian international, celebrating his goal in front of the Benfica supporters, was shown a yellow card for excessive celebration. He was then confronted by Prestianni, who appeared to direct a comment towards Vinícius while covering his mouth with his jersey. Vinícius immediately approached French referee François Letexier, pointing to Prestianni and alleging racial abuse.

The match was paused as Letexier signaled the activation of the anti-racism protocol, a procedure designed to address incidents of discrimination during matches. During the stoppage, Vinícius spoke with both Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa and Benfica manager José Mourinho. Real Madrid were prepared to withdraw from the match if Vinícius requested it, but play resumed after approximately ten minutes.

Following the match, Vinícius took to Instagram to express his frustration and condemn racism. “Racists are, above all, cowards,” he wrote. “They need to put their shirts over their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are. But they have, on their side, the protection of others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish.” He also criticized the implementation of the anti-racism protocol, stating it was “poorly executed” and “served no purpose,” and questioned why he had been cautioned for celebrating.

Prestianni swiftly denied the allegations in a statement posted on his own Instagram account. “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard,” he wrote. “I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”

Benfica released a statement on social media, arguing that the distance between the players made it unlikely that the Real Madrid squad could have accurately heard any comments made by Prestianni. This statement drew criticism online from supporters who viewed it as dismissive of Vinícius’s claims.

Benfica midfielder Leandro Barreiro corroborated Prestianni’s account, stating that his teammate had admitted to provoking Vinícius but denied using any racist language. “I asked him and he said it was a normal provocation between players during a match,” Barreiro said. “He said it was nothing racist.”

Vinícius received strong support from his Real Madrid teammates. Kylian Mbappé, speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, claimed that Prestianni repeatedly used a racial slur against Vinícius, stating he heard the Argentinian call Vinícius a “monkey” five times. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Federico Valverde also publicly backed Vinícius’s account of the incident.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, a Real Madrid defender, described the incident as “a disgrace to football,” highlighting that Vinícius has been subjected to similar abuse on multiple occasions throughout his career.

The reaction to the incident extended beyond the players. Mourinho, however, drew criticism for comments that appeared to suggest Vinícius’s own celebration had contributed to the confrontation. He told Amazon Prime that Vinícius should have celebrated “in a respectful way,” referencing the celebrations of legendary Benfica players like Eusébio. He also referenced previous incidents of racist abuse directed at Vinícius in Spain, implying a pattern of behaviour.

Mourinho later explained his comments, stating he had told Vinícius that his goal was “from another world” and questioned why he didn’t celebrate like footballing icons such as Di Stéfano, Pelé, or Eusébio. He also emphasized Benfica’s history as a club that is “the last thing that it is, is racist,” citing Eusébio, a Black player, as a symbol of the club’s inclusivity.

The match was also marred by objects thrown at Vinícius from the crowd, prompting a stadium announcement urging fans to refrain from such behaviour. A member of Benfica’s coaching staff received a red card during the stoppage, and Mourinho himself was later sent off for a separate incident.

UEFA has confirmed it is analyzing official match reports and will launch a formal investigation into the allegations of discriminatory behaviour. A UEFA statement indicated that any player found guilty of racist remarks faces a minimum suspension of ten matches.

This incident is the latest in a series of racist incidents targeting Vinícius. Since 2022, he has filed 18 legal complaints regarding racist abuse. In June 2024, three Valencia supporters were sentenced to eight months in prison for racially abusing him during a La Liga match in May 2023, marking a landmark conviction in Spain.

The two teams are scheduled to meet again in the second leg of the play-off at the Santiago Bernabéu on February 26th.