Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior branded racists as cowards after alleging abuse by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni. The 25-year-old informed referee Francois Letexier during Real Madrid’s 1-0 win in Lisbon on Tuesday.
The Champions League match stopped for 10 minutes, with both teams leaving the pitch shortly after Vinicius scored. The forward, who has faced repeated racist incidents, posted on Instagram: “Racists are, above all, cowards. They hide their weakness behind the shirts they put to their mouths.” He added that authorities failed to punish offenders and criticized a yellow card he received for celebrating a goal, calling the protocol poorly executed and pointless.
Prestianni Denies Racism
Twenty-year-old Prestianni rejected claims of racial abuse in a social media post. “I never directed racist insults to Vini Jr,” he wrote. “He misunderstood what he thought he heard. I regret the threats from Real Madrid players.” Benfica also defended him, sharing a video of the incident. The club argued the distance made it impossible for Real Madrid players to hear anything offensive.
Mourinho Speaks on Incident
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho spoke with Vinicius after the player briefly walked off the pitch. Mourinho said both players gave conflicting accounts. He criticized Vinicius’ goal celebration as disrespectful and invoked club legend Eusebio to assert Benfica is not racist. Mourinho added that scoring an incredible goal should lead to a calm, respectful celebration rather than provoking the crowd. “They told me different things, but I remain independent,” he said.
Reactions from Real Madrid
Defender Trent Alexander-Arnold called the alleged abuse a “disgrace to football” that overshadowed an amazing goal. “Vini has suffered this several times in his career. It ruins the night for our team and should have no place in football or society,” he said.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf criticized Mourinho for justifying racial abuse. “He implied it’s acceptable to respond to Vinicius’ celebration with racism. That is wrong,” Seedorf said. Theo Walcott echoed the sentiment, calling Mourinho’s comments a poor choice for such a public moment. Thierry Henry shared his empathy for Vinicius, recalling how often he faced racist abuse himself. He noted Prestianni’s suspicious behavior, covering his mouth while speaking, and called for accountability.
UEFA Review and Next Steps
UEFA confirmed it is reviewing match reports. The governing body said proceedings open if matters are reported and that any sanctions are published on its disciplinary website. Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius’ teammate, urged that Prestianni should not play in the Champions League again. “We cannot accept such behavior in Europe’s top competition. UEFA now faces a serious case and must act,” Mbappe said.
