Mourinho and Benfica under fire after Real Madrid’s Vinicius alleges racism
Al Jazeera
Former Real boss Jose Mourinho criticised for his response to alleged racism by his Benfica player towards Vinicius.
Real Madrid’s 1-0 win at Benfica in the UEFA Champions League was marred by further allegations of abuse aimed at the Spanish club’s Brazilian international Vinicius Junior.
The 25-year-old forward, who has 45 caps to his name and will lead Brazil’s attack at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, has been the victim of a series of instances of racist abuse, with 18 legal complaints filed against racist behaviour targeting him since 2022.
The latest alleged incident, following an exchange with Benfica’s Argentinian winger Gianluca Prestianni and a subsequent row with the home side’s manager Jose Mourinho, saw Real leave the field of play at the Portuguese club’s Estadio da Luz, or the Stadium of Light, for 10 minutes on Tuesday.
The match, which was the first leg of the playoff tie between the clubs for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League, had reached the 55th minute when Vinicius and his teammates retreated to their dressing room.
Vinicius had just given Real the lead with a stunning, curled effort, but was then booked for an excessive celebration, which Vinicius disputes.
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