In a candid showdown between Real Madrid and Benfica in the UEFA Champions League knockout round, Vinicius Jr. and Gianluca Prestianni stole the spotlight with a controversial incident, which activated the protocol against racist behavior. After the game, Federico Valverde dropped a bold statement, taking shots at both the Argentinian player and UEFA.
“What [Prestianni] said is unclear, but according to my teammates close by, he said an ugly word. Something that mustn’t be said. Personally, I think it’s shameful,” Real Madrid star Valverde told reporters after the game. “The fact no camera caught what he said is appalling, too. If you cover your mouth to speak, it’s because what you’re saying is not right. I’m proud of Vini and my teammates for standing up for him.”
After scoring the game’s lone goal with a beautiful shot into the top corner, Vinicius Jr. was caught in the eye of the storm. First, he celebrated by dancing in front of Benfica fans, which caused the home players to go after him.
Chaos in Real Madrid’s visit to Benfica
Amid the turmoil, Prestianni covered his mouth and allegedly insulted Vinicius Jr. who immediately raced to the referee and called for the UEFA Champions League‘s racist behavior protocol to be activated.
Vinicius Jr. left the field and the game was stopped momentarily. After a 10-minute hiatus, the action was resumed. From there onwards, a loud jeer and whistling followed Vinicius Jr.’s every move at Estadio da Luz. He was also involved in some heated conversations with Benfica captain Nicolas Otamendi.
What’s next?
Following yet another chaotic outing in the UEFA Champions League, Vinicius issued a four-word message after Real Madrid’s win. Needless to say, the table is set for yet another pandemonium-filled matchup between ‘As Aguias’ and ‘Los Merengues’ when they face in the second leg of the playoffs at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.