Football Stoppage as Vinícius Júnior Accuses Opponent of Racist Abuse
A Champions League knockout play-off fixture between Real Madrid and Benfica was dramatically halted for approximately ten minutes on Tuesday evening after forward Vinícius Júnior alleged he was subjected to racial abuse by opponent Gianluca Prestianni. The incident occurred shortly after Vinícius Júnior had netted the opening goal in the 1-0 victory for Madrid at Lisbon’s Estádio da Luz.
The Brazilian international had just scored a superb curling effort in the 50th minute to put his side ahead. In the ensuing celebration in front of the Benfica supporters, Vinícius Júnior received a yellow card for excessive celebration. It was at this point that Prestianni reportedly approached him, appearing to utter words while concealing his mouth with his shirt.
In response, Vinícius Júnior immediately alerted French referee François Letexier, pointing towards Prestianni. The referee, following protocol, signalled the activation of FIFA’s anti-racism measures by crossing his arms above his head, leading to the immediate suspension of the match.
During the lengthy pause, the 25-year-old forward was seen sitting in the dugout, engaged in conversations with both Real Madrid’s coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, and Benfica manager, José Mourinho. Reports indicate that Real Madrid were prepared to withdraw their team from the pitch entirely if Vinícius Júnior had indicated a desire to do so. However, after roughly ten minutes, the match eventually resumed.
Vinícius Júnior’s Strong Condemnation and Criticism of Protocol
Following the match, Vinícius Júnior took to social media to voice his strong feelings. He posted on Instagram, stating, “Racists are, above all, cowards. 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 further expressed his disappointment with the handling of the situation, criticising what he described as a “poorly executed protocol that served no purpose.” Vinícius Júnior also conveyed his confusion regarding the yellow card he received for celebrating, stating he did not understand the reasoning behind it.
Prestianni’s Denial and Alternative Account
Gianluca Prestianni, the Argentinian player at the centre of the allegations, has vehemently denied making any racist comments. In a statement released on Instagram, the 20-year-old stated, “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard. I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”
Adding a different perspective, Benfica later published a video on social media in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The club suggested that the physical distance between the players at the time of the alleged incident meant that the Real Madrid squad could not have clearly heard any specific remarks. This post subsequently attracted criticism from online supporters.
Benfica midfielder Leandro Barreiro corroborated Prestianni’s account to his teammates, stating that the Argentinian had admitted to provoking Vinícius Júnior but insisted that no racist language was used. “I asked him and he said it was a normal provocation between players during a match,” Barreiro explained. “He said it was nothing racist.”
Teammates Rally Behind Vinícius Júnior
Real Madrid’s squad has shown strong support for Vinícius Júnior’s version of events. Kylian Mbappé, speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, claimed that Prestianni had repeatedly insulted Vinícius Júnior, stating that the Argentinian “doesn’t deserve to play in the best competition, which is the Champions League.”
Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni also confirmed to Movistar that Vinícius Júnior had informed the team that Prestianni had called him a monkey. Teammate Federico Valverde echoed this sentiment, commenting, “If you cover your mouth to say something, it means what you’re saying isn’t right.” Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold labelled the incident “a disgrace to football” and highlighted that Vinícius Júnior has unfortunately been a target of similar abuse on multiple occasions throughout his career.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the Real Madrid coach, was unequivocal in his stance, stating, “Tolerance for racism has to be zero. Things like that can’t happen on a pitch in 2026.”
Mourinho Faces Scrutiny for His Comments
Benfica manager José Mourinho has drawn criticism for remarks that some interpreted as suggesting Vinícius Júnior’s celebration had somehow instigated the incident. The Portuguese coach told Amazon Prime, “When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way. They told me different things. But I don’t believe in one or another. I want to be independent.”
Mourinho also referenced past instances of racist abuse directed at Vinícius Júnior in Spain, hinting that the player’s conduct might have been a contributing factor. He recounted a conversation with Vinícius Júnior where he mentioned Eusébio, a legendary black player for Benfica, and stated, “This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.” He further elaborated on his advice to Vinícius Júnior, saying, “To Vinícius, on the pitch, I said: ‘You scored a goal from another world, why are you celebrating like that? Why don’t you celebrate like Di Stéfano, Pelé or Eusébio? Why don’t you just celebrate the goal with the joy of being a player from another world?'”
The match was further marred by objects being thrown at Vinícius Júnior from the stands, prompting a stadium announcement warning spectators against such behaviour. A member of Benfica’s coaching staff was shown a red card during the stoppage, and Mourinho himself was later sent off for a separate incident.
UEFA to Launch Investigation
UEFA has confirmed that it is in the process of analysing official match reports and will initiate investigations if any relevant information is reported. A statement from the governing body indicated, “If they lead to disciplinary sanctions, these will be announced on the UEFA website.”
Under UEFA regulations, any player found guilty of making racist remarks towards an opponent faces a minimum suspension of 10 matches.
This incident adds to a concerning pattern for Vinícius Júnior, who has reportedly filed 18 legal complaints regarding racist abuse since 2022. In a significant development in June 2024, three Valencia supporters received eight-month jail sentences for racially abusing him during a La Liga match in May 2023, marking the first conviction of its kind in Spain.
The two teams are scheduled to meet again for the second leg of their play-off tie at the Santiago Bernabéu on February 26th.
