Real Madrid take revenge on Benfica amid racism row and match suspension

Vinícius Júnior scored a decisive goal to lead Real Madrid to a 1-0 victory away to Benfica in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off for a place in the Round of 16, in a match overshadowed by controversy after the Brazilian forward was allegedly subjected to racist abuse.

The incident occurred minutes after Vinícius netted the opener, when he became involved in a confrontation with Argentina’s Gianluca Prestianni. Referee François Letexier halted the match for 11 minutes after activating UEFA’s anti-racism protocol.

Television footage showed Prestianni covering his mouth while speaking, which Vinícius and his teammates interpreted as a racist remark, particularly given the Brazilian’s previous experiences of abuse in stadiums.

After play resumed, tensions escalated, and Vinícius was met with sustained jeers from sections of the crowd. Benfica head coach José Mourinho was sent off in the 85th minute after receiving two yellow cards for protesting refereeing decisions, while Real Madrid held on to their advantage ahead of the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Real captain Federico Valverde expressed surprise that the cameras had not captured what was said, noting that covering one’s mouth while speaking naturally raises suspicions. He added that some nearby players had heard remarks they described as offensive, while praising Vinícius for his courage and firm stance against racism.

For his part, Prestianni denied the allegations via his Instagram account, insisting he had not made any racist comment and that Vinícius had misunderstood the situation. He stated that he had never uttered any racist remarks and expressed regret over the misunderstanding, stressing that he had never displayed racist behavior towards anyone. He also revealed that he felt saddened by threats he claimed to have received from some Real Madrid players.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni told reporters that he heard Prestianni repeat what he considered to be racist remarks towards Vinícius on more than one occasion. Kylian Mbappé echoed that account, saying he heard the Argentine repeat the same phrase, and admitted he briefly considered walking off the pitch in protest before being persuaded by his Brazilian teammate to continue.

Mbappé emphasized that what happened went beyond sporting rivalry, especially in a competition as prestigious as the Champions League, which he described as the pinnacle of club football. He stressed that players must serve as role models for children watching around the world and insisted that such behavior is unacceptable under the global spotlight of the tournament.

He also clarified that he holds no hostility towards Benfica, their supporters or their coaching staff, but underlined the need to take a clear stand, adding that accepting such acts in Europe’s biggest club competition is unacceptable. He concluded by saying that the matter is not in his hands, but that UEFA must intervene as part of their ongoing efforts to combat racism.

When asked whether Prestianni had apologized, Mbappé replied with a sarcastic smile: “Of course not.”

UEFA later confirmed it is reviewing the official match reports before deciding on any potential action should a violation be established, following a game that grew increasingly tense in its closing stages, particularly after Mourinho’s dismissal.

After the match, the Portuguese coach said he had listened to both sides of the story and could not confirm the validity of either version. He also suggested that Vinícius might have been better advised to celebrate with his teammates rather than appearing to provoke supporters who had been whistling him throughout the game.