{"id":229082,"date":"2026-02-18T00:36:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T00:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/18\/i-heard-it-ugly-claims-in-racism-row-emerge-as-stars-speak-over-disgusting-cl-farce\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T00:36:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T00:36:00","slug":"i-heard-it-ugly-claims-in-racism-row-emerge-as-stars-speak-over-disgusting-cl-farce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/18\/i-heard-it-ugly-claims-in-racism-row-emerge-as-stars-speak-over-disgusting-cl-farce\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I heard it\u2019: Ugly claims in racism row emerge as stars speak over \u2018disgusting\u2019 CL farce"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Vinicius Junior scored a sensational goal to earn Real Madrid a 1-0 Champions League play-off first leg victory at Benfica on Tuesday, although the match was marred by apparent racist abuse aimed at the Brazilian. <\/p>\n

After curling into the top corner in the 50th minute, Vinicius seemed to argue with Gianluca Prestianni, after which he complained to French referee Francois Letexier, who halted the match for more than 10 minutes as he applied the racism protocol. <\/p>\n

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Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was sent off in the final stages of a spiky game for complaining too vociferously, meaning he will miss the second leg against his former team at the Santiago Bernabeu next week. <\/p>\n

Alvaro Arbeloa\u2019s Madrid earned a narrow and nervy victory at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon to take an advantage into that clash, as well as avenging their dramatic 4-2 defeat by Benfica in the league phase. <\/p>\n

That collapse dragged the record 15-time champions down into the play-off round while helping Mourinho\u2019s side reach it by the skin of their teeth. <\/p>\n

However, this was a far different affair, with Arbeloa\u2019s Madrid much sturdier than a few weeks ago.<\/p>\n

They were bolstered by French superstar Kylian Mbappe\u2019s return after he sat out of their last game because of knee discomfort.<\/p>\n

Vinicius, back to his vibrant best since Arbeloa replaced Xabi Alonso at the helm in January, dragged the first good chance of the game inches wide of the far post. <\/p>\n

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a fine save to keep out Fredrik Aursnes\u2019s deflected effort from distance as Benfica held their own. <\/p>\n

Madrid\u2019s quality began to shine through before the interval, with Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, who scored a stunning late goal when the teams met in January, denying Mbappe and Arda Guler. <\/p>\n

The Ukrainian stopper could do nothing, though, about Vinicius\u2019s sensational strike after 50 minutes.<\/p>\n

– Racism protocol –<\/b><\/p>\n

On the left of the area, with nothing else on, Vinicius curled a sumptuous effort into the top corner to put Madrid ahead.<\/p>\n

The Brazilian was booked for his dancing celebration in front of Benfica\u2019s supporters.<\/p>\n

That sparked an exchange with Prestianni, who pulled his shirt over his mouth before seeming to say something to Vinicius.<\/p>\n

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The Brazilian then ran over to Letexier and, pointing at Prestianni, seemed to claim that he had been called \u201cmono\u201d, the Spanish word for monkey. <\/p>\n

The official activated the racism protocol, and Vinicius sat in Madrid\u2019s dug-out, with the game on hold for several minutes.<\/p>\n

When it eventually resumed, Vinicius was jeered by Benfica supporters, and three times denied by Trubin in the minutes that followed. <\/p>\n

Mourinho was sent off in the 85th minute as he appealed for a second yellow card for Vinicius, costing him a spot on the bench back at his old hunting round, where he led Madrid between 2010 and 2013. <\/p>\n

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Late own goal denies Sydney FC win | 01:39<\/p>\n

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The long stoppage led to 12 minutes of added-on time, but Benfica could not use them to find an equaliser, and face an uphill struggle to progress in the Spanish capital next week. <\/p>\n

The match was also stopped multiple times in the several half, particularly when Vinicius was near the sidelines.<\/p>\n

\u201cBenfica will face serious ramifications for this,\u201d one commentator said during one stoppage at the corner flag, before the other added: \u201cDisgusting, isn\u2019t it? You don\u2019t want to see that.\u201d<\/p>\n

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TOPSHOT – Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward #07 Vinicius Junior fights for the ball with SL Benfica’s Argentine forward #25 Gianluca Prestianni.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Real\u2019s Vinicius hits out at \u2018cowards\u2019 after racism storm against Benfica<\/b><\/p>\n

Match-winner Vinicius Junior hit out at \u201ccowards\u201d after accusing Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him.<\/p>\n

\u201cRacists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts over their mouths to show how weak they are,\u201d Vinicius wrote on Instagram in reference to Prestianni having hidden his mouth with his jersey during the pair\u2019s clash. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut they have, at their side, the protection of others who, theoretically, are obligated to punish,\u201d he added after the racism protocol did not lead to any concrete action against Benfica\u2019s Argentine midfielder. <\/p>\n

\u201cNothing that happened today should be tolerated in my life or my family\u2019s. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like to speak out in situations like this, especially after a big victory when the headlines should be about Real Madrid, but it\u2019s necessary.\u201d <\/p>\n

Benfica coach Mourinho said that Prestianni had denied racially abusing Vinicius, and hit out at the Brazilian for inciting Benfica\u2019s players and fans with his celebration. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way,\u201d said Mourinho. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere is something wrong because it happens in every stadium — where Vinicius plays, something happens, always.\u201d<\/p>\n

– \u2018It\u2019s disgusting\u2019 –<\/b><\/p>\n

Real\u2019s England full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold said the incident had left a sour taste in the mouth.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s disgusting. What\u2019s happened tonight is a disgrace for football. It\u2019s ruined the night for the team,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Real forward Kylian Mbappe called on Prestianni to be banned. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot accept there\u2019s a player playing in Europe\u2019s best competition and behaving like this,\u201d the France captain told reporters. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis guy doesn\u2019t deserve to play in the Champions League again.<\/p>\n

\u201cBenfica\u2019s number 25, I don\u2019t want to say his name, he doesn\u2019t deserve it, started speaking badly to him. It\u2019s unacceptable, but it has happened and will happen. But then he lifted his shirt to say that Vini is a monkey five times, I heard it. There are Benfica players who heard it too. And after this point, everything that was seen started.\u201d <\/p>\n

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TOPSHOT – Real Madrid’s French forward #10 Kylian Mbappe came to Vini Jnr\u2019s defence.<\/span>Source: AFP<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Real captain Federico Valverde said he was proud of how Vinicius had handled himself in the circumstances. <\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know what he (Prestianni) said, but all the team-mates who were close by said he said something ugly, something he shouldn\u2019t say,\u201d Valverde told Movistar. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf you cover your mouth to say something it\u2019s because he\u2019s saying something that\u2019s not good,\u201d added Valverde.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end I\u2019m proud of the team-mates that defended Vini, proud of Vini who kept on going, played a spectacular game and that\u2019s what I\u2019ll remember from him.\u201d Vinicius, 25, has been targeted with racial abuse during his time in Spain on several occasions by opposition fans. <\/p>\n

Four Atletico Madrid ultras were handed suspended jail sentences in June last year for hanging a dummy of Vinicius from a bridge in what police deemed a \u201chate crime\u201d, among several other court convictions. <\/p>\n

In May 2023, Vinicius squared off with fans at Valencia\u2019s Mestalla stadium after being racially abused.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been happening for a long time. Many people have fought (against) this, Vini is one of those who have fought about this, and it keeps happening,\u201d added Valverde. <\/p>\n

Some Benfica fans pelted Real players with projectiles as they celebrated Vinicius\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n

The whole incident sparked angry clashes between the two benches, with Letexier showing a red card to a member of the Real backroom staff. <\/p>\n

After a break of more than 10 minutes, due to Letexier implementing the racism protocol, the match resumed, with Real comfortably seeing out the victory. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vinicius Junior scored a sensational goal to earn Real Madrid a 1-0 Champions League play-off first leg victory at Benfica on Tuesday, although the match was marred by apparent racist abuse aimed at the Brazilian. After curling into the top corner in the 50th minute, Vinicius seemed to argue with Gianluca Prestianni, after which he […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":229083,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6807],"tags":[44573,1192,69982,49217,8995,69977,34928,69983,2725,69976,10745,8997,69980,69979,69981,69978,3143,9005,18145],"class_list":{"0":"post-229082","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-leagues-cups","8":"tag-auckland-fc","9":"tag-champions-league","11":"tag-crowd-scenes","12":"tag-europe-europe","13":"tag-fiery-touchline-tirade","14":"tag-francois-letexier","15":"tag-initial-yellow-card","16":"tag-jose-mourinho","17":"tag-league-wrap-real","18":"tag-lisbon","19":"tag-portugal-portugal","20":"tag-racism-complaint","22":"tag-racism-row","23":"tag-racism-storm","24":"tag-real-madrid-c-f","25":"tag-southern-europe-southern-europe","26":"tag-winning-goal"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/229082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=229082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/229082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/229083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=229082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=229082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=229082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}