Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior has issued a strongly worded statement on Instagram following alleged racial abuse during his side’s UEFA Champions League playoff encounter against Benfica on Tuesday night.
The Brazilian star scored the decisive goal as Real Madrid secured a 1–0 victory, striking early in the second half to seal the win.
During the match, Vinicius reported an alleged racist incident to referee Francois Letexier after a confrontation with Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni.
Following his goal, Vinicius celebrated with a dance in front of the home supporters near the corner flag, an action that further inflamed tensions inside the stadium. The referee later booked the 25-year-old forward for his role in provoking the crowd.
In response, several objects were thrown from the stands towards Vinicius, leading to heated scenes on the pitch. The match was halted for about nine minutes as players from both sides clashed amid the confusion.
Vinicius again approached match officials, insisting that Prestianni had directed an offensive remark at him. After a brief discussion, Letexier crossed his arms in an “X” gesture the official UEFA signal indicating that a player has been subjected to racist abuse.
Television replays showed Prestianni pulling his shirt over his mouth before appearing to speak to Vinicius. While the exact words used were not clearly audible, reports in Spain claim the Real Madrid winger accused the Argentine of calling him a “monkey.”
After the match, Vinicius took to Instagram to condemn the incident, describing racists as cowards.
“Racists are, above all, cowards,” he wrote. “They need to cover their mouths with their shirts to show how weak they are. Yet they are protected by others who, in theory, should punish them.
“Nothing that happened today is new in my life or in my team’s life. I got a yellow card for celebrating a goal, and I still don’t understand why.
“On the other hand, it was simply a badly executed plan that achieved nothing. I don’t like being in situations like this, especially after a big win when the focus should be on Real Madrid, but it’s something I have to face.”
The incident adds to ongoing concerns about racism in European football, particularly involving Vinicius, who has repeatedly spoken out against abuse throughout his career.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
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