José Mourinho has been accused of gaslighting by the anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out after his response to Vinícius Júnior’s allegation of racist abuse during a Champions League match. The Benfica manager referenced the Real Madrid forward’s goal celebration when discussing the incident, drawing strong criticism.
Vinícius claimed he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during Tuesday’s playoff in Lisbon. The game was delayed for 10 minutes after Prestianni spoke to Vinícius while covering his mouth. Kylian Mbappé accused Prestianni of calling Vinícius a monkey five times, an allegation Prestianni denies. Uefa has appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate; a guilty verdict could result in a 10-match ban.
Mourinho told Amazon Prime he told Vinícius his celebration was “stupid” and that he does not believe either player’s account. He added: “There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. A stadium where Vinícius plays, something happens, always.” Kick It Out responded that focusing on the celebration or history instead of acknowledging the report is a form of gaslighting. Former Netherlands midfielder Clarence Seedorf also criticised Mourinho’s remarks.
Uefa’s inspector must establish facts amid conflicting accounts, as the referee did not hear the exchange. Vinícius posted on Instagram that racists are “cowards” who hide behind their shirts. Benfica fans threw bottles and at least one made a monkey gesture, prompting an investigation by Portuguese authorities.
Preistianni denied using racist language, stating on Instagram that Vinícius “misunderstood what he thought he heard”. Benfica expressed support for Prestianni, calling him the victim of a “smear campaign”, and posted video claiming distance meant players could not have heard the alleged remarks.
