Following what he described as racist abuse during the Real Madrid vs Benfica Champions League play-off, Vinicius Jr stated that “racists are cowards.” The incident disrupted the match for 11 minutes as the team enforced Uefa’s racism protocol.
The Brazilian forward had a confrontation with Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni after netting the only goal of the match and informed the referee of the racist taunts he endured. As a result, the match was temporarily halted.
Benfica’s coach Jose Mourinho faced criticism from Amazon Prime analyst Clarence Seedorf after he appeared to suggest that Vinicius provoked the racist remarks during his post-match comments. Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold condemned the situation as “disgraceful for football.”
Gianluca Prestianni arguing with Vinicius Jr (AFP via Getty Images)
In a statement posted on Instagram, Prestianni denied directing any racist insults at Vinicius, stating that he believed there was a misunderstanding regarding what was said.
Following the game, which Real Madrid won 1-0, Vinicius expressed his thoughts on Instagram, saying: “Racists are, above all, cowards. They should cover their mouths to reveal their weakness.”
He further underlined that such behaviors were not new to him or his teammates, mentioning an earlier yellow card he received for celebrating a goal. Vinicius criticized the handling of the situation, calling it a poorly executed protocol that served no meaningful purpose while expressing his displeasure at the media attention away from Real Madrid’s performance.
The tense match unfolded similarly to their previous encounters, and Vinicius celebrated his goal with a display in front of the Benfica fans, leading to an exchange with Prestianni, who talked to him while covering his mouth. This interaction further escalated the incident.
Vinicius approached referee Francois Letexier, visibly frustrated, prompting the referee to initiate Uefa’s racism protocol by crossing his arms to signal the interruption.
Vinicius, still incensed, left the pitch for the Real Madrid bench, with his teammates following to show support.
Mourinho tried to defuse the situation by speaking with Real players including Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe.
Jose Mourinho was shown a red card after the match resumed (Getty Images)
The game was officially paused due to an alleged racist remark aimed at Vinicius. When play resumed, tensions were still palpable; a member of the Benfica staff received a red card during the stoppage.
Again in action, objects were thrown from the crowd towards the Madrid players, and jeers followed each time Madrid players touched the ball.
Mourinho was eventually shown a red card for protesting a decision that awarded his team a free kick rather than a penalty, resulting in an eventful conclusion to the match.
After an extended stoppage time, Real Madrid secured a 1-0 victory to take into the second leg at the Bernabeu.
Mourinho attempts to address the players during the incident (Getty Images)
Commenting on the events, Alan Shearer remarked during coverage on Amazon Prime, “It has been an ugly second half. The focus should be on a remarkable goal, yet it seems the headlines will reflect otherwise.”
In response to questions about whether Vinicius incited the Benfica players and fans with his celebration, Mourinho acknowledged it but emphasized his intention to remain neutral, stating: “I don’t want to comment on that,” while reflecting on past incidents involving Vinicius at various stadiums.
The pundits, including Wayne Rooney and Clarence Seedorf, were taken aback by Mourinho’s comments, with Rooney defining them as “unfair”. Seedorf asserted that Mourinho justified racial abuse inappropriately, reiterating that there should never be a reason to accept such behavior.
Seedorf elaborated, saying, “We should not rationalize racial abuse in any context. Vinicius has faced too much unwarranted behavior throughout his career.”
The UEFA three-step racism protocol allows referees to intervene if racist behavior is reported. The first step includes pausing the game to make an announcement urging fans to halt any racism, followed by temporary suspensions if the behavior continues, and finally, the potential abandonment of the match if no solution is found.
The incident involving Vinicius and Prestianni will be investigated as part of this protocol.