Vinícius faces racism in Real Madrid’s Champions League clash against Benfica (Photos)

Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League playoff, but the match in Lisbon was overshadowed by an alleged racist incident involving Vinicius Junior that led to an 11-minute stoppage.

After a cagey first half with few clear chances, the breakthrough came five minutes after the restart.

Kylian Mbappe launched a swift counterattack and slipped a precise pass into the path of Vinicius. 

The Brazilian cut inside from the left and curled a superb shot into the far corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance and silencing the home crowd.

However, the goal celebrations quickly gave way to controversy. As Vinicius celebrated, a heated exchange erupted between him and Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni.

Referee Francois Letexier halted play and activated FIFA’s antiracism protocol following complaints from the Madrid players.

Television footage appeared to show Vinicius informing the referee that he had been called a “monkey.”

Tensions flared, and Real’s players briefly threatened to leave the pitch before the situation was brought under control and the match resumed.

Benfica pushed for an equalizer late on but struggled to create clear openings, managing only three shots on target throughout the game.

Frustration grew on the home bench, and manager Jose Mourinho was sent off in the 85th minute after receiving two bookings for protesting the referee’s decisions.

The dismissal compounded a difficult evening for the Portuguese side, who now face an uphill task in next week’s return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Speaking afterward to Amazon Prime, Mourinho addressed the incident cautiously.

He described Vinicius’ goal as an “amazing” moment of individual brilliance but suggested that words were exchanged between the players. “I want to be independent,” Mourinho said. 

“I don’t want to say I believe in Prestianni or believe in Vinicius.” He added that he had advised the Brazilian to celebrate respectfully and referenced club legend Eusebio, insisting that Benfica is not a racist club.

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa also condemned the alleged abuse, saying, “We have to fight against this type of attitude. If we don’t respect each other, then it is a problem.”

Defender Trent Alexander-Arnold called the episode “a disgrace to football,” adding that racism has no place in either the sport or society and lamenting that it overshadowed an outstanding team performance.

Elsewhere in Europe, Paris Saint-Germain staged a dramatic comeback from 2-0 down to defeat AS Monaco 3-2.

Borussia Dortmund claimed a 2-0 win over Atalanta, while Galatasaray stunned Juventus 5-2 in Istanbul.

Despite the controversy in Lisbon, UEFA’s technical panel named Aurelien Tchouameni player of the match, praising his composed display in midfield.

Yet on a night marked by tension and serious allegations, the football itself was ultimately overshadowed by events off the ball.

Photos