The player who showed disrespect towards Vinicius had to lock his personal account following the incident.

The first leg of the Champions League play-off between Real Madrid and Benfica was notable not just for Vinícius Júnior’s spectacular strike, but also for the intense events, disputes, and incidents beyond the game itself.

The highlight of the second half was the clash between Vinicius and the young talent Gianluca Prestianni, which made the atmosphere at Estadio da Luz tense and uncomfortable.

After a relatively cautious first half, Real Madrid suddenly accelerated at the start of the second. Vinícius Júnior created an explosive moment with a beautiful right-footed shot, opening the scoring for the Spanish giants. However, instead of focusing solely on a classy goal, fans had to witness a series of controversial incidents.

Immediately after scoring, Vinícius received a yellow card for what was deemed an excessive celebration. Shortly afterwards, he clashed with Benfica’s Prestianni. The situation escalated when referee François Letexier signaled to initiate the anti-racism protocol after receiving a complaint from Vinícius.

The Brazilian player then left the pitch escorted by teammates, causing the match to pause for about 10 minutes. Coaching staff from both teams entered the field to intervene. Vinícius even had a direct conversation with Benfica’s coach Jose Mourinho, though the details remain undisclosed.

Tensions continued to rise as a Real Madrid coaching member was sent off, and Mourinho received a second yellow card, forcing him to leave the technical area.. Towards the end of the match, Vinícius was hit by an object thrown from the Benfica supporters’ stands, tarnishing the game’s image in the eyes of neutral viewers.

After the match, Prestianni’s social media was “attacked” with numerous comments, images, and GIFs related to Vinícius. The management team of the young Argentine player’s Instagram quickly disabled comments to prevent widespread harassment. This move was seen as necessary to protect the 18-year-old from immense public pressure.

Experts also expressed regret that a top-level match was overshadowed by off-field controversies. Former England striker Alan Shearer commented that the focus should have been on a remarkable goal rather than the negative headlines that followed.

The second leg between Real Madrid and Benfica will take place at Santiago Bernabeu on February 25, promising another heated contest both on and off the pitch. Given recent events, the pressure on the refereeing team for the rematch will undoubtedly be immense.