Sports · 18 February 2026
Vinicius Junior leads team off pitch over abuse claim
Uilhfdghuidgfiuhgdfhui via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
Real Madrid’s match against Benfica paused for ten minutes when players walked off following an allegation of racism. Referee Francois Letexier signalled the incident after Vinicius Junior accused opponent Gianluca Prestianni of abusing him verbally. Play eventually resumed, allowing the Spanish side to secure a 1-0 victory despite further crowd trouble. While the Argentina winger denied the accusation, Vinicius later criticised the protocol as ineffective.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs