Benfica vs Real Madrid paused after Vinicius Jr reports alleged racist remark in Champions League tie
A 10-minute interruption after a complaint on the pitch
Real Madrid’s Champions League knockout play-off tie at Benfica was halted for around 10 minutes after Vinicius Jr reported that he had been the target of an alleged racist comment. The stoppage came immediately after the Brazilian forward had scored the goal that ultimately decided the match, with Madrid holding on to win 1-0.
The interruption followed a confrontation between Vinicius and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni. According to the match account, Vinicius initially refused to play on and instead ran to speak with referee Francois Letexier. Letexier then stopped the game and activated FIFA’s anti-racism protocol.
The incident added to a tense atmosphere in Lisbon, with further disruption later in stoppage time when objects were thrown from the stands as Vinicius prepared to take a corner kick.
What happened before the stoppage
Vinicius had just put Real Madrid ahead in the tie. After scoring, he celebrated in front of the Benfica supporters and was shown a yellow card for the celebration. Moments later, he was confronted by Prestianni, who pulled his shirt up over his mouth before saying something to the Madrid forward.
Vinicius then ran to the referee to make a complaint. Letexier responded by crossing his arms in front of his face, the signal used to activate FIFA’s anti-racism protocol. The match was temporarily stopped while discussions took place involving players, coaching staff and the referee.
During the stoppage, Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was seen speaking to a visibly upset Vinicius. A member of the Benfica coaching staff was shown a red card during the lengthy pause. After multiple discussions, play resumed.
FIFA’s anti-racism protocol and the match restart
The referee’s gesture indicated the activation of FIFA’s anti-racism protocol, which is designed to provide a structured response when allegations of racism are raised during a match. In this case, the protocol resulted in a temporary suspension of play while the complaint was addressed on the pitch.
Once the discussions concluded, the match continued. Real Madrid defended their lead to secure a 1-0 victory. Mourinho was later sent off for a separate incident, adding another disciplinary flashpoint to an already heated evening.
Vinicius Jr’s post-match message
After the match, Vinicius posted a statement in Portuguese on his Instagram story. In it, he criticised what he felt was an ineffective response to the situation and described the alleged behaviour in strong terms.
“Racists are, above all, cowards,” he wrote. “They need to put their shirts over their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are.”
Vinicius also said he believed those responsible were protected by others who “theoretically, have the obligation to punish.” He added that the situation was not new to him or his family, reflecting on his past experiences of racism in football.
He also questioned the yellow card he received for celebrating his goal. “I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don’t understand why,” he wrote, before contrasting that with what he described as “just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose.”
Vinicius said he did not like being placed in such situations, particularly after what he described as a great victory, but argued that speaking out was necessary.
Prestianni denies making racist comments
In a statement in Portuguese posted on Instagram and shared by Benfica on social media, Prestianni denied directing racist insults at Vinicius. He said the Madrid forward had misunderstood what he believed he heard.
“I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard,” Prestianni wrote. “I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”
Benfica also posted footage of the incident on social media, adding the comment that, “as the images demonstrate, given the distance, the Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim to have heard.”
Mourinho’s remarks and the reaction they triggered
After the game, Mourinho suggested that Vinicius had provoked abuse with his celebration. He said he spoke directly to the forward and urged him to celebrate and return to the centre circle after scoring.
“I told him, when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back,” Mourinho said in comments to Amazon Prime. He added that Vinicius and Prestianni told him “different things” and that he did not want to take sides: “But I don't believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.”
Mourinho also said he told Vinicius that Eusebio, described by Mourinho as “the biggest person in the history of this club,” was black, adding: “This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.”
He then appeared to reference previous incidents involving Vinicius, saying: “There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. A stadium where Vinicius plays something happens, always.”
Those comments drew criticism from former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who was working as a pundit. Seedorf said Mourinho had made a “big mistake” by appearing to justify racial abuse, even while acknowledging that it was not certain that racism occurred in this specific incident.
“He said wherever he goes these things happen, so he's saying it's OK when Vinicius provokes you, that is it OK to be racist and I think that is very wrong,” Seedorf said. “We should never, ever justify racial abuse.”
Real Madrid players and staff: ‘No place for it’
Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold said he could not go into detail because there was likely to be an investigation, but condemned what happened and said it had overshadowed the football.
“I can't comment too much as there is probably an ongoing investigation,” he said to Amazon Prime. “What's happened tonight is a disgrace to football. It's overshadowed the performance, especially after such an amazing goal.”
Alexander-Arnold added that Vinicius had been subjected to such incidents before and said there was “no place for it in football or society,” describing it as “disgusting.”
Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa also addressed the situation, pointing to the visible actions during the confrontation. “You have to ask Benfica's players [about it],” Arbeloa said. “Everyone can see what happened with Prestianni, he put the shirt over his mouth. You have to ask him.”
Arbeloa added: “What Vini said is not important, we need to fight against racism in football. We support Vini of course.”
Objects thrown late on as tensions continued
Even after the match resumed and moved toward its conclusion, the atmosphere remained hostile. Late in stoppage time, there was a further short delay when fans threw objects as Vinicius was attempting to take a corner kick.
Alexander-Arnold described the setting as a hostile environment and suggested the reaction may have been linked to the way Vinicius celebrated his goal, while making clear he did not know what triggered the throwing of objects. He added that such environments were something the team was used to dealing with, and said the focus would be on taking the win and moving on to the next match.
The wider context: Vinicius and repeated incidents
The episode in Lisbon is the latest in a series of high-profile moments involving Vinicius and allegations of racist abuse in stadiums. The Brazilian has spoken out multiple times about racism he says he has experienced during matches.
In 2024, Vinicius said he felt “less and less” like playing football because of the abuse. That same year, three Valencia fans were jailed for eight months for racially abusing him during a LaLiga match the previous season, described as the first verdict of its kind in Spain.
The legal consequences continued to develop in subsequent years. Five people were handed suspended prison sentences in 2025 for racially abusing Vinicius in what was described as an “unprecedented” ruling in Spain. That incident occurred during Real Madrid’s match against Real Valladolid in September 2022.
Key points from the night
The match was stopped for around 10 minutes after Vinicius Jr reported an alleged racist comment.
Referee Francois Letexier activated FIFA’s anti-racism protocol by crossing his arms in front of his face.
The stoppage followed a confrontation with Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, who covered his mouth with his shirt while speaking.
Vinicius had just scored and was booked for celebrating in front of Benfica supporters.
Prestianni denied making racist comments and said Vinicius misunderstood what he thought he heard.
Benfica shared footage and argued that Real Madrid players were too far away to hear what they claimed.
Benfica coach Jose Mourinho spoke to a visibly upset Vinicius during the stoppage; a member of Benfica’s coaching staff was shown a red card, and Mourinho was later sent off for a separate incident.
Real Madrid won 1-0, but there was a further short delay late on when objects were thrown as Vinicius prepared to take a corner.
What the incident shows about football’s ongoing challenge
The Benfica-Real Madrid stoppage underlined how quickly allegations of racism can dominate the narrative of a major European night, even when the match itself is decided by a standout goal and a narrow result. It also highlighted the limits of in-game procedures in the eyes of those directly affected.
Vinicius’ post-match comments made clear that he was not only reacting to the alleged remark, but also to what he viewed as an insufficient response. Meanwhile, Benfica and Prestianni rejected the accusation, and the post-match debate expanded to include how players celebrate, how crowds respond, and how public figures discuss repeated incidents.
On the pitch, the outcome was straightforward: Real Madrid left with a 1-0 win. Off it, the focus shifted to the complaint, the protocol, and the broader question raised again by players and pundits alike: how football ensures that allegations are handled effectively, and how it prevents any form of racial abuse from being normalised or excused.