Match halted in Lisbon after Vinícius alleges racist abuse from a Benfica player
Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Benfica in Lisbon descended into controversy after Vinícius Júnior accused an opponent of racist abuse, prompting a 10-minute stoppage and fierce condemnation from teammates.
The incident unfolded shortly after the only goal of the night, scored in the 50th minute. As celebrations unfolded, Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni approached Vinícius and spoke to him while covering his mouth. The Brazilian immediately ran towards referee François Letexier to report what had been said.
According to Vinícius and later supported by Kylian Mbappé, the word used was “mono” Spanish for monkey. Letexier made the recognised gesture signalling that he was activating UEFA’s anti-racism protocol, and the match paused while officials, players and coaching staff held discussions on the pitch.
For several tense minutes, it appeared Real Madrid might leave the field. Vinícius looked ready to walk off, and manager Álvaro Arbeloa later confirmed the squad would have supported that decision. Ultimately, after talks between both teams and match officials, play resumed.
After the final whistle, Vinícius delivered a scathing message on social media.
“Racists are above all cowards,” he wrote. “They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are. But they have by their side the protection of others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish.”
He criticised what he described as “a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose” and said he regretted having to address the issue after what should have been a celebration of Real Madrid’s win. “I don’t like appearing in situations like this, especially after a great victory when the headlines should be about Real Madrid, but it’s necessary,” he added.
Mbappé offered unequivocal backing. “He called Vinícius a monkey five times, I saw it,” the French forward said. “I cannot let things like this go. He’s a young player, how can you say things like that on a football pitch?”
Mbappé revealed the team had considered leaving the field. “We were going to go, that was the team’s decision. I don’t know what happened, and then we came back. This type of person is no colleague, he shouldn’t play the Champions League again.”
Arbeloa echoed his players’ anger. “We have to be totally intolerant of racism; we cannot allow things like this to happen on the pitch in 2026,” he said. The coach insisted he had no reason to doubt Vinícius and made clear the squad stood united. “Whatever he decided, we would be at his side. We cannot tolerate this.”
The referee reportedly told Madrid’s bench he had not personally heard the alleged remark, limiting the action he could take beyond activating the established protocol.
Benfica head coach José Mourinho addressed the incident after the match, adopting a more cautious tone. He revealed that during the stoppage, he initially approached Arbeloa to question Vinícius’s animated celebration before understanding the gravity of the situation.
“I do not want to say that Vinícius is a liar, nor do I want to say that my player is an incredible boy,” Mourinho said. He declined to align fully with either version of events, adding that he preferred to remain balanced.
The confrontation overshadowed what had been a tightly contested Champions League encounter at the Estádio da Luz. Instead of focusing on Real Madrid’s crucial away win, attention shifted to the explosive exchange and the broader issue of racism in football.
Vinícius, who has previously spoken out against abuse, insisted that silence is no longer an option. The match may have resumed, but the fallout is far from over.