Real Madrid Star Vinicius Junior Faces Racist Abuse, Forces Match Suspension and Triggers UEFA Emergency Protocol
Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior claimed he experienced racist abuse during the second half of the Champions League knockout stage playoff first leg between Los Blancos and Benfica, leading to a temporary halt in play according to UEFA procedures.
The situation seemed to unfold shortly after Vinicius Jr netted the opening goal for Real Madrid. The Brazilian forward celebrated enthusiastically, which angered Benfica fans and players, leading to a brief altercation.
Vinicius Jr received a yellow card and was subsequently observed exchanging words with Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni. The Argentine player concealed his mouth with his jersey during their conversation, and Vinicius Jr abruptly approached match official François Letexier to report suspected racist comments.
Letexier promptly indicated for play to be paused temporarily, raising his arms in a crossed position overhead. Both squads' players moved toward their respective bench areas while Vinicius Jr was observed briefing his teammates and both coaches, Álvaro Arbeloa and Jose Mourinho, about the incident.
Play eventually continued following nearly a 10-minute delay, with Real Madrid successfully maintaining their 1–0 advantage through the final whistle.
Real Madrid Players React After Vinicius Jr Reported Racial Abuse
Real Madrid Players React After Vinicius Jr Reported Racial Abuse
After the match concluded at the Estádio da Luz, Arbeloa and fellow Real Madrid players rallied behind Vinicius Jr following the alleged racist incident.
"Players who were nearby confirm he [Prestianni] made inappropriate comments, things that should never be said," Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde stated.
"When someone covers their mouth while speaking, it's because they're saying something inappropriate. This is unfortunate and extremely serious - we've witnessed this before. I'm proud of my teammates who supported [Vinicius Jr] and of Vini for continuing on, he delivered an outstanding performance."
French midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni commented, "This absolutely cannot occur, they informed us he [Prestianni] called him [Vinicius Jr] a monkey while hiding his face with his shirt. He denies saying that, but it doesn't matter. We discussed it as a team and Vini told us we needed to continue playing.
"I'm at a loss for words, this simply cannot happen."
Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois supported Tchouaméni's statements. Additionally, Arbeloa expressed his views on the matter after the game.
"You need to question the Benfica player about what he said to Vinicius," the Spanish manager stated.
"Everyone deserves an answer to that question from him. We cannot tolerate such incidents on a football field in 2026. This must be eliminated from football entirely. If players themselves don't address this issue, it becomes very difficult. We must combat racism - it's currently the most crucial issue in football. We stand with Vini, absolutely."
Vinicius Jr posted on social media shortly after the match, sharing photos on Instagram with the simple message, "Bernabéu, see you there!"