Sports · 18 February 2026
Vinícius Júnior condemns cowardly racists after Benfica match incident
Real Madrid via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Vinícius Júnior has spoken out forcefully against racism after claims of discriminatory abuse during Real Madrid’s Champions League win over Benfica. The Brazil international labelled those responsible as “cowards” and questioned how officials managed the situation. Play was suspended for around ten minutes after Vinícius Júnior alleged that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni directed racist language towards him, a claim supported by teammate Kylian Mbappé. Manager Álvaro Arbeloa revealed the squad debated leaving the field, before the fixture continued. Vinícius later criticised football’s anti-racism procedures as inadequate and poorly enforced.
Reported by Guardian · How we write briefs