UEFA Investigates Racism Allegations Against Vinícius Júnior

Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of racial abuse during Tuesday’s Champions League knockout round play-off match in Lisbon, prompting a formal investigation by UEFA. The incident occurred after Vinícius scored the only goal of the first leg, leading to a 10-minute stoppage in play as the referee activated UEFA’s anti-racism protocol.

Incident Details

According to Vinícius Júnior, the alleged racial slur was directed at him by Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni during a post-goal altercation. The match was temporarily paused while UEFA’s anti-racism protocol was implemented. Vinícius completed the full game despite the incident. Kylian Mbappé, a teammate of Vinícius at Real Madrid, stated he heard Prestianni call Vinícius a “monkey” five times [ESPN].

Statements from Involved Parties

Vinícius Júnior took to Instagram following the match, stating, “Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are.” He too expressed frustration with the handling of the situation, calling the protocol “poorly executed” and ineffective [The Independent].

Prestianni denied the allegations in a post on Instagram, claiming Vinícius “regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard.” Benfica also released a statement defending Prestianni and criticizing what they described as a “smear campaign.”

Benfica coach Jose Mourinho faced criticism from anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out for comments he made after the match, which were described as “gaslighting.” Mourinho stated he did not believe either player’s account of the incident and suggested that such occurrences are common when Vinícius plays [The Independent].

UEFA and FIFA Response

UEFA has appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate the allegations of discriminatory behavior. A potential 10-match ban awaits Prestianni if found guilty of racial abuse under UEFA’s disciplinary code [ESPN].

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed shock and sadness over the incident and praised the referee for activating the anti-racism protocol, emphasizing that there is “absolutely no room for racism” in the sport [ESPN].

Real Madrid’s Cooperation

Real Madrid has stated that it has provided UEFA with “all available evidence” regarding the incident and is actively cooperating with the investigation. The club expressed gratitude for the widespread support Vinícius Júnior has received from the global football community and reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating racism, violence, and hatred in sport and society [AOL].