Vinicius Jr appears to allege racist abuse – What happened during Benfica 0 Real Madrid 1

Lisbon, Tuesday night – A moment of individual brilliance from Vinicius Jr decided the first leg of this Champions League play-off tie, yet the 1-0 victory for Real Madrid will be remembered for the 10-minute stoppage that followed the Brazilian’s 50th-minute strike after he appeared to allege racist abuse.

The sequence began when Vinicius collected Kylian Mbappé’s pass, backed Amar Dedic into the area and curled a sumptuous right-foot finish beyond the goalkeeper. His dance by the corner flag drew immediate ire from home players, most notably Nicolas Otamendi, and referee François Letexier brandished a yellow card to the bemused scorer.

As both teams prepared to restart, Vinicius suddenly sprinted toward the official. After a brief exchange, Letexier crossed his arms above his head – the universal signal that FIFA’s anti-racism protocol had been triggered. The forward briefly left the field, sat on the Madrid bench and seemed ready to abandon the contest entirely.

Manager Álvaro Arbeloa entered the pitch to speak with the referee, while José Mourinho – now in charge of Benfica – placed a consoling arm around Vinicius on the sideline. Mbappé, Aurelien Tchouaméni and Dean Huijsen were among those who gathered to encourage their team-mate. A member of the Benfica staff was subsequently red-carded for dissent, and Mourinho himself received two quick yellow cards late on, leaving him to watch the closing stages from the stands.

Play finally resumed in the 60th minute, the Estádio da Luz crowd booing Vinicius at every touch. Twelve minutes of additional time were required, but Madrid held firm for a crucial away win.

Post-match, Arbeloa confirmed the allegation had been aimed at Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni. The 19-year-old Argentinian denied any wrongdoing via Instagram: “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr … I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”

Trent Alexander-Arnold, speaking to Amazon’s broadcast, did not mince words: “What’s happened tonight is a disgrace to football.”

The result leaves Madrid in control of the tie ahead of next Wednesday’s return at the Bernabéu, where one of these clubs will secure a place in the round of 16. Yet the lingering focus will be on the investigation that UEFA is expected to open into the events that unfolded in Lisbon – and on whether Vinicius Jr, so often targeted in Spanish stadiums, will have to confront the spectre of racism once again on the European stage.