Racism Allegations Overshadow Real Madrid’s Victory Over Benfica

omidbasir- Real Madrid secured a 1-0 victory against Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League knockout stage play-off, but the match was overshadowed by allegations of racism. Vinicius Jr. netted a stunning winning goal; however, he received a yellow card for his celebrations.

Following an altercation with Benfica’s Prestianni, Vinicius approached the referee to report alleged racial abuse. In response, Vinicius and his teammates left the field as FIFA’s racism protocol was enacted, forcing the game to pause temporarily before resuming.

After the match, Vinicius took to social media to address the incident, stating, “Racists are, above all, cowards. They should cover their mouths to reveal their weakness. They are protected by those who should penalize them. What happened today is not new to me or my team; I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal, which I still don’t understand. The protocol implemented was poorly executed and served no purpose. I dislike being in these situations, especially following a significant victory when headlines should focus on Real Madrid, but it is necessary to address it.”

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) expressed solidarity with Vinicius through a social media post: “The CBF stands with Vinícius Júnior, who was victimized by yet another act of racism after scoring against Benfica in Lisbon. Racism is a crime and has no place in football or society. You are not alone; your courageous response is commendable, and we are proud of you. We will continue our fight against all forms of discrimination. We stand by you always.”

In contrast, Prestianni denied the allegations, stating, “I want to clarify that I did not direct any racist insults at Vini Jr. He misunderstood what he thought he heard. I have never been racist towards anyone, and I regret the threats directed at me by Real Madrid players.”

Benfica manager José Mourinho refrained from taking sides, remarking, “I want to remain neutral. I don’t want to say I believe Prestianni or disbelieve Vinicius, as they both presented entirely different accounts.”

Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappé called for Prestianni to be banned from the Champions League, asserting, “Prestianni clearly directed racist comments at Vini Jr. This is unacceptable. Benfica is a respected club, but Prestianni should not participate in the Champions League again.”

Manager Álvaro Arbeloa emphasized the need for “zero tolerance” regarding racial abuse, stating, “The referee informed me that he did not hear anything and cannot act on such situations. Regardless of Vini Jr.’s decision, we would have supported him. We cannot tolerate this behavior, especially on the field. This is not the first time Vini has faced such issues, despite being an exceptional player and person loved by all. He is a fighter, and we will always stand by him.”

Full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold described the incident as “disgusting,” noting, “I can’t comment extensively since there may be an ongoing investigation, but what transpired tonight is a disgrace to football. It overshadowed the performance, especially after such a remarkable goal. Vini has faced this too often, and for it to happen now is unacceptable, a true disgrace to both football and society.”

UEFA is expected to investigate the allegations following this unfortunate event. The two teams are set to face each other again for the second leg of their play-off tie next Wednesday at Santiago Bernabeu.