The Champions League knockout playoff between Real Madrid and Benfica was overshadowed by allegations of racial abuse directed at Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during Tuesday’s match in Lisbon. The game, which Real Madrid won 1-0, was temporarily halted after Vinícius Júnior informed the referee that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni had racially insulted him.
According to reports, Vinícius Júnior accused Prestianni of using a racial slur after scoring the winning goal. The referee, François Letexier, paused play for approximately 10 minutes while adhering to UEFA’s anti-racism protocol. Prestianni has denied the allegations, claiming Vinícius Júnior “regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard.”
Real Madrid has since submitted “all available evidence” to UEFA regarding the incident, actively collaborating with the investigation launched by European football’s governing body. UEFA appointed a special investigator on Wednesday to gather evidence related to the events that unfolded in Lisbon.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with Kylian Mbappé expressing his support for Vinícius Júnior and questioning the values of football if such incidents are not addressed. Shaka Hislop, speaking on ESPN, likewise voiced his disappointment with the response from Benfica’s head coach, José Mourinho.
Adding to the controversy, Benfica manager José Mourinho has received a one-match ban from UEFA, preventing him from being on the touchline for the return leg in Madrid. The ban stems from his conduct during the first leg, though the specific reasons were not detailed by UEFA.
Despite the allegations and the impending ban, Gianluca Prestianni is expected to be available for selection in the return leg against Real Madrid on Wednesday. The outcome of the UEFA investigation remains uncertain, but Prestianni could face a ban of at least 10 matches if found guilty of racial abuse.
Elsewhere in Champions League action, Atalanta Bergamo secured a surprising advancement to the next round, defeating Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in their second leg match. Despite losing the first leg 2-0, Atalanta overturned the deficit with goals from Scamacca, Zappacosta, Pašalič, and a late penalty converted by Samardžič. The match was marred by two red cards for Dortmund players, Bensebajní and Schlotterbeck. Atalanta will now face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the next round.
Juventus and Galatasaray played to a 0-0 draw in the first half of their match, with the second half still underway at the time of reporting.