Hypocrisy: Pundits Criticise Mourinho’s ‘Big Mistake’ After Vinicius Racism Row

José Mourinho is facing a wave of condemnation from players, pundits and anti-discrimination campaigners after appearing to question Vinícius Júnior’s role in the racism storm that erupted during Real Madrid’s 1-0 Champions League win at Benfica on Tuesday night.

UEFA has opened a formal investigation after the Brazilian forward told referee François Letexier he had been racially abused by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, prompting a mandatory ten-minute suspension of play. Prestianni, who pulled his shirt over his mouth during the flashpoint, denies any wrongdoing and could be hit with a minimum ten-match ban if found guilty under article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations.

The incident, which overshadowed Vinícius’ stunning second-half winner, has ignited a broader debate after Mourinho used his post-match press duties to criticise the 24-year-old’s celebration in front of the Estádio da Luz crowd.

“When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way,” Mourinho said. Pressed on whether he felt the winger had provoked Benfica supporters and players, the Portuguese coach replied: “Yeah, I believe so.”

Mourinho later referenced club legend Eusébio, adding: “The biggest person in the history of this club was black. This club, the last thing it is, is racist.”

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher labelled the comments “a bit rich” coming from a manager famed for exuberant touchline sprints and antagonistic gestures. “Anyone can celebrate how they like,” Carragher said on CBS. “You shouldn’t get racially abused no matter what.”

Micah Richards went further, calling the episode “hypocrisy”, while Trent Alexander-Arnold, speaking after the game, branded the abuse “a disgrace to football”.

Clarence Seedorf, working as an analyst for Amazon Prime, accused Mourinho of “justifying racial abuse” and warned: “He made a big mistake today.”

Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out accused the Benfica boss of “gaslighting” Vinícius by shifting focus onto the player’s celebration rather than addressing the allegation itself. “Leaders in football have a crucial role in setting standards,” the organisation said in a statement.

Benfica have rallied behind Prestianni, describing the affair as a “defamation campaign” against a player whose conduct has “always been guided by respect”. UEFA’s ethics and disciplinary inspector is expected to need several weeks to complete enquiries, meaning the Argentine is currently free to face Madrid in the second leg on 25 February.

Real Madrid declined to add to Vinícius’ post-match remarks, but team-mate Kylian Mbappé confirmed he and several Benfica players heard the disputed exchange. With the tie delicately poised at 1-0, the return leg at the Bernabéu now carries an extra layer of scrutiny as European football awaits the governing body’s findings.