Real Madrid edged past Benfica 1-0 in their UEFA Champions League meeting, but the result quickly became secondary after allegations of racist abuse involving Vinícius Júnior.
Vinicius scored the only goal of the night with a composed finish during a tight contest that never really opened up. Chances were limited and both sides had their moments, but Madrid made theirs count.
During the game, Vinicius was seen speaking with the referee, reportedly alerting him to alleged racist remarks. Play was briefly halted under the competition’s anti-racism protocol. The allegation centres on Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni, although the matter remains under review.
After the match, Vinicius posted on his official X and Instagram pages, condemning racism and questioning how the situation was handled. In the statement, he described racists as “cowards” and suggested the protocol applied did little to address what happened.
Sky Sports had reported that the Brazilian expressed frustration over both the alleged abuse and the handling of it on the pitch.
His teammate Kylian Mbappé also spoke to reporters afterwards in defence of Vinicius. While Mbappé did not post any statement on his verified social media accounts, post-match reports quote him as urging UEFA to take firm action if the allegations are proven. He was reported to have told journalists in the mixed zone that he heard the alleged insult more than once and believes sanctions should follow if confirmed.
Prestianni is understood to have denied the accusation.
Emotions spilled over late on, with former Madrid manager José Mourinho shown a red card during heated exchanges near the touchline. Mourinho appeared visibly upset before being dismissed.
Madrid got the three points.
But it was the controversy, not the goal, that dominated conversations afterwards.