Vinícius Júnior Winner Overshadowed by Alleged Racist Abuse as Real Madrid Beat Benfica 1–0

Alleged racist abuse aimed at Vinícius Júnior overshadowed his stunning winner as Real Madrid edged Benfica 1–0 in Lisbon in the first leg of their Champions League knockout tie.

The last time these two teams met just three weeks ago in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League football fans were left inspired by the beautiful side of the game. A last-minute goal from Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin saw the Portuguese side qualify for the knockout rounds by squeezing into the final available position an incredible sporting moment which sent shockwaves around European football.

However, tonight the story was more serious. More sinister. The ugly side of the game unfolded.

Shortly after Vinícius Júnior had broken the deadlock with an incredible effort, Benfica fans reacted aggressively by throwing objects onto the pitch towards the Real Madrid players celebrating by the corner flag.

Vinícius was then booked for his celebrations, which were deemed excessive by referee François Letexier.

Moments after the yellow card, Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni rushed over to Vinícius, squaring up to him. Real Madrid players initially intervened to separate the two, but shortly later, as the game was about to resume, the Argentine made a comment directly to Vinícius while covering his mouth with his shirt.

Vinícius responded immediately, sprinting towards François Letexier to report what he alleged had been said. Within seconds, the referee signalled for play to stop and initiated FIFA’s anti-racism protocol the governing framework that allows officials to escalate from a halt in play, to a suspension, and ultimately to abandonment if discriminatory abuse persists.

The practical reality of that protocol was clear in the minutes that followed: Vinícius was removed from the flashpoint and kept out of immediate confrontation, sitting on the bench while teammates and staff surrounded the officials and argued their case. The chaotic encounter ultimately resulted in a Real Madrid coach being shown a red card.

Online, allegations spread rapidly regarding the exact wording of the remark. Reports from Fabrizio Romano on Instagram alleged that Vinícius was called a “M*nkey”.

Further reports quoted Kylian Mbappé’s reaction, with the Frenchman saying

“Prestianni should never play in the Champions League anymore.”

The eventual restart did not reset the mood; it sharpened it. Tempers boiled, tackles became heavier, and the atmosphere grew more volatile with every decision. Worse still, the crowd reaction did not fade. Benfica fans continued to throw objects onto the pitch, halting play on multiple occasions, and Real Madrid players were forced to retreat repeatedly whenever they attempted to take corners down the left side, with projectiles landing close enough to turn every set piece into a confrontation.

Vinícius was at the epicentre of the hostility reverberating around the Estádio da Luz.

Thirty-eight-year-old Benfica and Argentine defender Nicolás Otamendi, who had brilliantly shut down Mbappé on the night, twisted the knife gesturing towards his tattoos commemorating Argentina’s World Cup and Copa América triumphs at the Brazilian winger.

By this point, the match had truly soured, and sustained periods of continuous play felt rare.

The night’s final flashpoint came late on. José Mourinho was shown a red card after exploding at the referee following a foul on Ricardo Ruiz, a dismissal that will now leave him banned from the sideline for the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.

It became yet another subplot in a first leg that should have been remembered for Vinícius’s winner but will instead be dominated by controversy and disciplinary fallout.

While the referee handled an immensely difficult situation professionally, it was a dark, regressive night for European football and for Vinícius, it felt like yet another chapter in a story he has been forced to live through far too many times.