Shortly after opening the scoring in the first leg of Benfica vs. Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, Vinicius Jr. left the pitch demanding action from the referee. The Real Madrid star sat down on the bench, stating he received a racist insult from Argentinian youngster Gianluca Prestianni.
Drama has taken over the UEFA Champions League knockout matchup between Real Madrid and Benfica. In a heated matchup, tempers flared after Vinicius Jr. and the away team struck first, and the Brazilian star called for the racist behavior protocol to take action. When the referee made an âXâ with his arms, signaling the protocol, all alarms were raised across the soccer globe.
Following a 10-minute hiatus due to the confusion and suspense on the pitch, game was resumed. Needless to say, the matter wonât end with the final whistle. In the next minutes after the incident, Vinicius Jr. was whistled by the home crowd every time he touched the football.
The matchup was already fiercely contested. With Vinicius Jr. claiming racism was involved, it will only escalate in the final minutes. Moreover, these two teams will have to meet again in the second leg next week, when Benfica walk into the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid
What happened?
As Vinicius Jr. returned to the halfway line for the game to resume action after his goal, Prestianni raised his jersey to cover his mouth. That was when he allegedly said something to Vinicius Jr., who immediately paced to referee François Letexier, demanding action.
see also
Benfica vs Real Madrid LIVE: The game resumes! (0-1) 2025-26 UEFA Champions League knockout phase playoff first leg
Moreover, Vinicius Jr. was also seen telling Benfica manager Jose Mourinho about the incident, as the two held a conversation near the touchline. The Real Madrid speedster claims Prestianni dropped a racist slur. The fact Prestianni chose to cover his mouth may hint he did, but thereâs also no evidence. As it stands, itâs a true case of he said, she said.
After the referee reviewed the incident and UEFA authorities looked closely into the exchange between the Brazilian and Argentinian wingers, they were unable to find solid evidence. As a result, the game was resumed. However, further investigation and disciplinary actions may follow after the game. Racism is not to be taken lightly, and in UEFA competitions thatâs no different.
UEFAâs guidelines for racist behavior
According to Annex C: Guidelines for Match Officials in cases of Racist Behaviour in Football Stadiums (Article 45.05b) on UEFAâs Safety and Security Regulation, there are series of measures to be taken by officials in the event of serious racist incidents.
Firstly, the match must be stopped and an announcement made via the stadiumâs speakers. If racist chants or actions prevail, the refereeâalong with game authoritiesâmay decide to suspend or abandon the match. The latter is a last-resource and only to be decided in case all else doesnât work.
The protocol is mostly engineered in the event of racist chants and actions from the crowd. If the incident occurs on the pitch and involves players, coaches, or staff members, then hefty sanctions and tough suspensions will follow. In this case in particular, authorities will deep-dive into the incident to determine if further action is required.
