18.02.2026 09:22
In the match where Real Madrid won 1-0 against Benfica, Vinicius Jr. stated that he was subjected to racist remarks and wanted to leave the field; Mbappe said he should be "banned," while Mourinho made a cautious statement.
In the first match of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 play-off, Benfica faced Real Madrid. The match, which Real Madrid won 1-0, was overshadowed by allegations of racism against Vinicius Junior.
After Vinicius Jr. scored the winning goal, the field became chaotic. The Brazilian star expressed his desire to leave the field, stating that Gianluca Prestianni, who was wearing a Benfica jersey, had made racist remarks towards him. The match was halted for about 10 minutes due to the incident.
MOURINHO INTERVENED
Moments of Benfica's head coach Jose Mourinho trying to convince Vinicius to return to the field were captured on camera. After discussions, the match resumed from where it left off.
VINICIUS: RACISTS ARE COWARDS ABOVE ALL
Speaking after the match, Vinicius Jr. used strong language. The Brazilian star said, "Racists are cowards above all. I received a yellow card for my goal celebration, and I still don't understand why. This was a completely ineffective, poorly implemented protocol. I don't want to be associated with these situations when the headlines should be about Real Madrid, but it was necessary to speak out."
MBAPPE: HE SHOULD BE BANNED
Vinicius's teammate Kylian Mbappe made a strong call regarding Prestianni. The French star stated, "Gianluca Prestianni, who is a racist, should be banned from the Champions League. Vinicius said he wanted to leave the field, and we support him in whatever he wants."
MOURINHO'S BALANCED STATEMENT
Jose Mourinho mentioned that he spoke with both players, saying, "Vinicius is saying one thing, Prestianni is saying another. I don't know who is telling the truth. The only thing I know is that it was a great match until the goal was scored. Also, Benfica is not a racist club. One of the club's legends, Eusebio, was a black player." After the incident, it became a matter of curiosity whether UEFA would initiate an investigation regarding the issue.