Vinicius faced racial discrimination, causing chaos during the Real Madrid match

The Champions League match between Real Madrid and Benfica was stopped for almost 10 minutes following Vinícius’s claim that he was subjected to racial discrimination, resulting in turmoil at Estádio da Luz.

The Brazilian star opened the scoring in the 50th minute with a classy curling shot. However, his celebration in front of the home fans immediately sparked tension, as several Benfica players reacted strongly. Referee François Letexier initially intervened to calm things down, but problems resumed shortly after.

Vinícius had a tense confrontation with winger Gianluca Prestianni. Television footage captured Prestianni covering his mouth while saying something, prompting Vinícius to report the racial abuse claim to the referee. Letexier then made the cross sign, activating UEFA’s anti-racism protocol.

Amid the tension, Vinícius left the pitch visibly upset, comforted by several coaching staff members including Benfica’s coach José Mourinho. The game was stopped for nearly 10 minutes before resuming. Notably, Vinícius had received a yellow card for his celebration before making the accusation. Once play restarted, the Real Madrid forward was repeatedly booed by home fans whenever he touched the ball and was even provoked by defender Nicolás Otamendi.

The drama didn’t end there. In the 85th minute, Mourinho was sent off for vehemently protesting and demanding Vinícius be shown a red card. During stoppage time, the referee had to enter the field to retrieve an object thrown from the stands.

Following Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory, strong statements were made. Trent Alexander-Arnold said Vinícius wanted to continue playing and strongly condemned the racist behavior. Real coach Álvaro Arbeloa emphasized that Prestianni covering his mouth while speaking was “visible to everyone.” Meanwhile, Federico Valverde asserted that such words “should never be tolerated in football.”

On Benfica’s side, Mourinho stated that Prestianni denied the allegations and that both parties presented different accounts. He also highlighted the club’s history with the black legend Eusébio and acknowledged that similar incidents “occur at many stadiums whenever Vinícius plays,” overshadowing what should have been a highlight goal of the match.