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Racism allegations mar Real Madrid's win over Benfica
UEFA has opened an official probe after Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior reported racist abuse by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni during Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League victory in Lisbon.
Match halted as players walk off
Referee François Letexier suspended play for ten minutes after Vinícius alerted him to the alleged abuse early in the second half. Both teams left the pitch shortly after the Brazilian had put Real Madrid ahead with a decisive goal.
Vinícius, who has faced repeated racist incidents throughout his career, posted on Instagram: "Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are."
He also questioned why he received a yellow card for his goal celebration, adding: "I still don't understand why. On the other hand, it was just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose."
Prestianni denies abuse; Benfica defends player
Prestianni, 20, denied the accusations in a social media statement: "I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard."
Benfica backed their player in an official post on X, arguing that the distance between the players made it impossible for Real Madrid's squad to hear what was said. The club shared video footage of the incident as evidence.
Mourinho's remarks spark backlash
Benfica manager José Mourinho spoke with Vinícius after the player walked off the pitch. In his post-match interview, Mourinho claimed the Brazilian and Prestianni gave conflicting accounts of the incident.
He also suggested Vinícius had provoked the crowd with his celebration, stating: "When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way." Mourinho cited Benfica legend Eusébio, who was Black, as proof the club is not racist.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf, now a pundit, criticized Mourinho's comments: "He's saying it's OK, when Vinícius provokes you, to be racist-and I think that is very wrong."
Ex-Arsenal forward Theo Walcott added: "I love everything José Mourinho has done in football, but he has made a poor decision. It was maybe the one time we shouldn't have heard from him."
Players and legends react
Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold called the incident a "disgrace to football", emphasizing that such behavior has no place in the sport or society.
Teammate Kylian Mbappé demanded action, stating: "This player doesn't deserve to play in the Champions League anymore."
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry, who endured racist abuse during his career, expressed solidarity with Vinícius: "I can relate to what Vinícius Junior is going through. That happened to me so many times on the field."
UEFA investigation underway
UEFA confirmed on Wednesday that an ethics and disciplinary inspector has been appointed to investigate the allegations. If found guilty, Prestianni could face a minimum 10-match ban from European competitions-a penalty introduced by Gianni Infantino in 2013.
The second leg of the Champions League knockout tie between Real Madrid and Benfica is scheduled for 25 February.
