Mourinho and Benfica under fire after Real Madrid’s Vinicius alleges racism

Lisbon, Portugal – Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff tie has been overshadowed by explosive allegations of racist abuse directed at Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, leaving both the Portuguese club and their manager Jose Mourinho facing mounting criticism.

The flash-point arrived in the 55th minute at Estadio da Luz. Moments after curling a spectacular shot into the net to give the visitors the lead, Vinicius was cautioned for what referee Francois Letexier deemed an excessive celebration. While the Brazilian protested the yellow card, Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni lifted his shirt over his mouth and, according to Vinicius and several Madrid teammates, directed a racial slur toward the 25-year-old.

The accusation triggered FIFA’s anti-racism protocol. Play was halted for 11 minutes while Real’s players walked off the pitch and retreated to the dressing room, eventually returning only after assurances that the proper procedures had been followed. The atmosphere inside the stadium deteriorated rapidly; Vinicius and strike partner Kylian Mbappe were booed whenever on the ball, and tensions remained high until the final whistle.

Mourinho, who previously managed Real Madrid and now stands in the Benfica dugout, entered the debate immediately after the restart, engaging in a furious touchline exchange with Vinicius. The Portuguese coach’s post-match comments intensified the backlash. Asked whether he felt the forward provoked supporters with his celebration, Mourinho replied: “Yes. I believe so… When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way.”

He went further, noting that “a stadium where Vinicius plays something happens, always,” and reminded the Brazilian that “the biggest person in the history of this club [Eusebio] was Black,” insisting Benfica “the last thing that it is, is racist.”

Mourinho’s stance drew swift condemnation from across the football world. Former Netherlands and Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf told Amazon Prime the manager had “made a big mistake… to justify racial abuse,” adding: “He’s saying it’s OK, when Vinicius provokes you, to be racist, and I think that is very wrong.”

Ex-Arsenal forward Theo Walcott, also on Amazon duty, labelled Mourinho’s intervention “the one night he should not have been in front of the cameras,” while CBS pundit and France great Thierry Henry said he “could relate” to Vinicius’s isolation “because it’s going to be your word against his word.”

Prestianni, 19, categorically denies using racist language. In an Instagram post he wrote: “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard… I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”

Mbappe, who claims he heard the alleged slur “several times,” was incensed. “We cannot accept that there is a player in Europe’s top football competition who behaves like this,” he told reporters. “This guy doesn’t deserve to play in the Champions League any more.” England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, also on target in defence of his teammate, branded the episode “a disgrace to football… There is no place for it in football or society.”

Vinicius, who has filed 18 legal complaints over racist abuse since 2022, vented his frustration on social media: “Racists are, above all, cowards… Nothing that happened today is new in my life or my family’s life.”

UEFA is expected to open a formal investigation, and with the return leg scheduled for next Wednesday at the Bernabeu, the fallout is far from over. Benfica and Mourinho now find themselves at the centre of a racism storm that reaches well beyond the pitch, while Vinicius once again carries the unwanted burden of being both protagonist and victim in football’s ongoing battle against discrimination.