José Mourinho has been accused of gaslighting by the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out over his response to Vinícius Júnior's allegation of racist abuse during Real Madrid's Champions League playoff win at Benfica. The Benfica manager referenced the forward's goal celebration when discussing the incident, which Uefa is now investigating.
The match was delayed for 10 minutes after Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni spoke to Vinícius while covering his mouth with his shirt. Kylian Mbappé publicly accused Prestianni of calling Vinícius a monkey five times, but Prestianni denied any racist language. Benfica said they would cooperate with the investigation and voiced support for their player, describing him as the victim of a "smear campaign".
Speaking to Amazon Prime, Mourinho said he had told Vinícius: "When you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back." He added: "They told me different things. But I don't believe in one or another. I want to be independent." The Portuguese manager also called Vinícius's celebration "stupid" and said: "There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. A stadium where Vinícius plays, something happens, always."
Kick It Out responded by stating that focusing on Vinícius Jr's goal celebration or the history of the club, instead of acknowledging the report, "is a form of gaslighting". The charity warned that such an approach harms the individual and sends the wrong message, urging leaders in football to set standards through "responsible leadership that reinforces respect, inclusion and accountability".
Former Netherlands midfielder Clarence Seedorf also criticised Mourinho, saying: "He's saying it's OK when Vinícius provokes you … and I think that is very wrong." Vinícius did not speak after the match but posted on Instagram that racists are "above all cowards [who] need to put their shirts over their mouth to demonstrate how weak they are". The Portuguese authority responsible for combating football-related violence has launched an investigation into reported racist gestures and noises from Benfica fans during the game.
