Benfica vs Real Madrid paused after Vinicius Jr alleges racist comment in Champions League tie

A Champions League night interrupted

Real Madrid’s Champions League knockout play-off tie away to Benfica was halted for around 10 minutes after Vinicius Jr alleged he had been subjected to a racist comment during an on-field confrontation with Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni. The interruption came moments after Vinicius had scored the only goal of the match, a strike that ultimately secured a 1-0 win for the Spanish side.

The stoppage was significant not only because it disrupted a high-stakes European fixture, but because it triggered FIFA’s anti-racism protocol. The incident also prompted a series of contrasting reactions: an emotional response from Vinicius, a denial from Prestianni, and a broader debate among players, coaches and pundits about how football should respond when allegations of racist abuse arise during a match.

What happened on the pitch

According to the sequence of events described during the match, Vinicius Jr had just put Real Madrid 1-0 ahead. After scoring, he celebrated in front of Benfica supporters and was shown a yellow card for the celebration. Shortly afterwards, he was confronted by Prestianni.

During the exchange, Prestianni was seen pulling his shirt up over his mouth before saying something to the Real Madrid forward. Vinicius then ran to speak to the referee, Francois Letexier, and initially refused to play on. Letexier immediately stopped the game after hearing the complaint.

In response, the referee crossed his arms in front of his face, a gesture used to activate FIFA’s anti-racism protocol, and the match was temporarily paused. Following discussions involving players, coaches and the referee, play later resumed.

The anti-racism protocol and the 10-minute pause

The activation of FIFA’s anti-racism protocol led to a lengthy stoppage as officials and team representatives sought to establish what had occurred and to manage the immediate aftermath. The match remained paused while conversations took place on the pitch and near the technical areas.

During the stoppage, Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was seen speaking to a visibly upset Vinicius Jr. A member of the Benfica coaching staff was shown a red card in the course of the interruption. After the discussions concluded, the referee allowed the game to restart.

Real Madrid then held on to win 1-0. Mourinho was later sent off for a separate incident. There was also a further short delay late in stoppage time when objects were thrown from the stands as Vinicius was preparing to take a corner.

Vinicius Jr’s post-match message

After the game, Vinicius Jr posted a message in Portuguese on his Instagram story. In it, he framed the incident as part of a wider pattern in his life and career and criticised the way the situation was handled on the night.

“Racists are, above all, cowards,” he wrote. “They need to put their shirts over their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are.”

Vinicius also suggested that those responsible for punishing racism did not do enough, and he questioned the effectiveness of the response during the match. “But they have, on their side, the protection of others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish,” he wrote. “Nothing that happened here today was new in my life and my family’s.”

He also referred to the booking he received after scoring. “I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don’t understand why,” he said, before adding: “On the other hand, just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose.”

Vinicius concluded by saying he did not like being placed in situations like this, particularly after what he described as a great victory, but argued that it was still necessary to speak out.

Prestianni denies making racist comments

Prestianni later issued a statement in Portuguese on Instagram, which was shared by Benfica on social media. In his message, he denied directing racist insults at Vinicius Jr and said the Real Madrid forward had misunderstood what he believed he heard.

“I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard,” Prestianni wrote. “I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”

Benfica also posted footage of the incident on social media and argued that, due to the distance, Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claimed to have heard. The club’s post stated: “As the images demonstrate, given the distance, the Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim to have heard.”

Mourinho’s comments and the reaction

After the match, Mourinho suggested that Vinicius may have provoked abuse with the way he celebrated his goal. Speaking in a post-match interview, he described telling Vinicius that, after scoring, he should “just celebrate and walk back.” Mourinho said he had been told different versions of events by the players involved and insisted he did not want to take sides.

“They [Vinicius and Prestianni] told me different things. But I don’t believe in one or another. I want to be an independent,” Mourinho said.

He also sought to defend Benfica against the allegation of racism, referencing the club’s history. “When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person [Eusebio] in the history of this club was black,” he said. “This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.”

Mourinho then appeared to broaden his comments beyond the match itself, referring to previous incidents involving Vinicius. “There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium,” he said. “A stadium where Vinicius plays something happens, always.”

Seedorf: “We should never, ever justify racial abuse”

Former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf, working as a pundit, criticised Mourinho’s remarks. Seedorf said he believed Mourinho had made a serious error by appearing to justify racist abuse, even if he was not asserting that racism had occurred in this specific incident.

“I think he made a big mistake today to justify racial abuse and I’m not saying that was the case today but he mentioned something more than today,” Seedorf said.

Seedorf added that suggesting racism could be an understandable response to provocation was unacceptable. “He said wherever he goes these things happen, so he’s saying it’s OK when Vinicius provokes you, that is it OK to be racist and I think that is very wrong,” he said. “We should never, ever justify racial abuse.”

Real Madrid players: “No place for it in football or society”

Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold said he could not go into detail because there was likely to be an ongoing investigation, but described the situation as “a disgrace to football” and said it had overshadowed the match.

“What’s happened tonight is a disgrace to football. It’s overshadowed the performance, especially after such an amazing goal,” he said. He added: “Vini has been subjected to this a few times throughout his career, there’s no place for it in football or society. It’s disgusting.”

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa also addressed the incident, saying questions should be directed at Benfica’s players and pointing to the gesture of covering the mouth during the exchange.

“You have to ask Benfica’s players [about it],” Arbeloa said. “Everyone can see what happened with Prestianni, he put the shirt over his mouth. You have to ask him.” Arbeloa added: “What Vini said is not important, we need to fight against racism in football. We support Vini of course.”

Objects thrown as Vinicius prepared to take a corner

In addition to the earlier stoppage, the match featured another flashpoint late in stoppage time. As Vinicius went to take a corner kick, there was a short delay when fans threw objects.

Alexander-Arnold described the atmosphere as hostile and suggested the reaction may have been linked to Vinicius’s goal celebration, while emphasising that he could not be certain about what triggered it. “It’s a hostile environment, maybe they were upset with the way Vini celebrated. I don’t know what set them off like that,” he said.

He added that Real Madrid were accustomed to difficult environments and would focus on the result. “Like I said, hostile environment. We are used to it as a team. We take the win, go back home and play again.”

Context: Vinicius Jr and repeated incidents

The episode in Lisbon took place against a backdrop of previous cases in which Vinicius has been subjected to racist abuse in stadiums. The Brazilian has spoken out multiple times about his experiences and has previously said that the abuse made him feel “less and less” like playing football.

In June 2024, three Valencia fans were jailed for eight months for racially abusing Vinicius during a LaLiga match the previous year. The case was described as the first verdict of its kind in Spain. The content also notes that, in 2025, five people received suspended prison sentences for racially abusing Vinicius in what was described as an “unprecedented” ruling in Spain, relating to an incident during Real Madrid’s match against Real Valladolid in September 2022.

Key moments and statements at a glance

• Vinicius Jr scored to give Real Madrid a 1-0 lead, then received a yellow card for celebrating in front of Benfica fans.
• He was confronted by Gianluca Prestianni, who covered his mouth with his shirt while speaking.
• Vinicius reported an alleged racist comment to referee Francois Letexier, who stopped the match and activated FIFA’s anti-racism protocol.
• The match was halted for around 10 minutes; a Benfica staff member was shown a red card during the stoppage.
• Real Madrid won 1-0; Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was later sent off for a separate incident.
• There was a further short delay late in stoppage time when objects were thrown as Vinicius prepared to take a corner.
• Prestianni denied making racist insults and said Vinicius misunderstood what he thought he heard.
• Clarence Seedorf criticised comments that appeared to justify racist abuse, saying it should never be excused.
• Trent Alexander-Arnold called the events a “disgrace to football” and said there is no place for racism in football or society.

An unresolved dispute with broader implications

As presented in the statements after the match, the dispute remains sharply contested. Vinicius Jr described the comment he alleged as part of a recurring reality and criticised the response on the night. Prestianni insisted he did not make racist insults and said the forward misunderstood him. Benfica’s social media post argued that the distance made it impossible for other Real Madrid players to have heard what they claimed to have heard.

What is clear from the match report and the subsequent reactions is that the incident dominated the narrative of a Champions League night that otherwise hinged on a single goal. It also underlined how quickly allegations of racist abuse can escalate into a major event within a game, forcing officials to balance immediate action with uncertainty and competing accounts.

For football, the episode again raises difficult questions about prevention, reporting and enforcement. Even as the anti-racism protocol was visibly activated, Vinicius’s own assessment was that the process did not achieve what it should. Others, including players and pundits, focused on the broader principle that racist abuse cannot be justified under any circumstances—regardless of provocation, rivalry or the intensity of elite competition.

Real Madrid left with a 1-0 victory, but the match will be remembered as much for its stoppage and the subsequent exchange of statements as for the decisive moment of quality that put them ahead.