Rabat – It was a controversial night at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. Real Madrid beat Benfica 1-0 in the first leg of the Champions League knockout playoff, but the game was overshadowed when Vinicius Junior was the victim of racist abuse.
The incident came just after Vinicius scored the winning goal in the 50th minute. While celebrating near the corner flag, he clashed with Benfica’s No. 25, Gianluca Prestianni, and then ran to referee François Letexier to report a racist insult.
Vinicius Jr tells the referee and then José Mourinho that Gianluca Prestianni has racially abused him.
Vini said Prestianni racially insulted while covering his mouth with the shirt.@JosePadi_
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 17, 2026
Vinicius Jr tells the referee and then José Mourinho that Gianluca Prestianni has racially abused him.
The referee activated UEFA’s anti‑racism protocol by halting play for about 10 minutes as players argued and officials tried to restore order. Madrid’s players looked ready to leave the pitch before the match eventually resumed.
Television footage showed Prestianni covering his mouth with his shirt as he spoke.
After play resumed, the atmosphere turned hostile. Vinicius was booed every time he touched the ball, and tempers flared again late in the match.
Vinícius’ teammates and coach support
After the match, Kylian Mbappe backed his teammate and accused Prestianni of repeating the slur multiple times.
He told Spanish TVE: “There’s Benfica’s No. 25, I don’t want to say his name because he doesn’t deserve to be named, that started speaking badly. Then he pulled his jersey up to here [covering his mouth] to say that Vini is a monkey five times. I heard it. There are Benfica players who also heard it.”
Mbappe added that he respected Benfica and their coach, but demanded strong action, adding that “this player [Prestianni] doesn’t deserve to play this competition.”
He continued: “We have to give the best example to youngsters; if we let this go, then the values of football serve for nothing, and everything we believe in is for nothing. We have to do something.”
Real Madrid captain Federico Valverde also pointed to the lack of clear broadcast evidence and said the act of hiding one’s mouth “says a lot.” He told Movistar Plus: “It is unbelievable that, with dozens of cameras in the stadium, none could have caught (Prestianni’s) racial slur, but if you cover your mouth to say something, that says a lot.”
Coach Alvaro Arbeloa said Vinicius was composed after the game and repeated Real’s stance: “Vini is fine and calm. This is something no one likes, and the Benfica player should be asked about what he said.” He added, “There must be no tolerance for racism. This cannot be happening in 2026. It’s a disgrace.”
On the football side, Benfica started well, but Real Madrid grew into the game. Thibaut Courtois made key saves, while Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin kept the score level before halftime with stops against Mbappe and Arda Guler. Vinicius then decided the match, cutting in from the left and curling a shot into the far top corner.
After the game, Prestianni denied the accusation on social media, claiming Vinicius had “misheard” him. UEFA confirmed it is reviewing the official reports and will decide whether to open disciplinary proceedings.
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