Real Madrid fans made a powerful statement against racism ahead of their Champions League play-off second leg against Benfica, unveiling banners in support of Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior. The display came eight days after the first leg in Lisbon, where Vinicius alleged he was racially abused by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, an accusation the Argentinian winger denied.
Banners and Messages of Solidarity
Before kick-off at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid supporters held up banners with messages backing Vinicius, who had scored the only goal in the first leg. As the players took to the field, two forceful announcements – "No to racism" and "Respect" – were read out, amplifying the anti-discrimination stance.
UEFA's Swift Action on Prestianni
UEFA had imposed a provisional suspension on Gianluca Prestianni on Monday, ruling him out of the return fixture. Although Prestianni traveled to Madrid with the Benfica squad, UEFA dismissed the Portuguese club's appeal against the ban on Wednesday afternoon. A UEFA statement confirmed that Prestianni remains provisionally suspended for the next UEFA club competition match he would otherwise be eligible for.
The governing body appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator following the first leg and acted quickly, noting that the provisional suspension was without prejudice to any subsequent rulings from disciplinary bodies after the ongoing investigation concludes.
Incident in the First Leg
During the first leg last Tuesday, Vinicius left the field and refused to return after allegedly facing racial abuse, causing a 10-minute stoppage in play. This occurred shortly after he gave Real Madrid the lead with a stunning individual strike, curling the ball home from a tight angle five minutes into the second half. After celebrating in front of home fans, he became visibly upset, informed the referee, and the match was halted.
Mourinho's Controversial Comments
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho, who was widely criticized for his post-match remarks after the first leg, did not hold his usual pre-match press conference on Tuesday. Mourinho had appeared to suggest that Vinicius brought any abuse upon himself with his celebration, stating that "a stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens, always." Anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out responded by accusing Mourinho of "gaslighting."
Mourinho was expected to watch the second leg from the stands after being sent off in Lisbon for angrily shouting at referee Francois Letexier.
