Vinicius Junior scored a stunning second-half winner as Real Madrid edged Benfica 1–0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League playoff in Lisbon — but the match was overshadowed by an alleged racist incident.
The Match
Five minutes after halftime at the Estádio da Luz, Vinícius cut inside from the left and curled a brilliant shot into the far top corner following a pass from Kylian Mbappé. It proved to be the decisive goal.
Earlier in the match:
- Thibaut Courtois made a superb one-handed save to deny Fredrik Aursnes.
- Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin produced excellent stops to keep out Mbappé and Arda Güler.
Madrid now take a narrow advantage back to Spain for the return leg.
Racism Allegation Halts Match
Shortly after scoring, Vinícius became involved in a heated exchange with Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.
The Brazilian forward reported that Prestianni had directed a racist slur at him, allegedly calling him a “monkey.” Television footage showed Prestianni covering his mouth while speaking.
Referee Francois Letexier activated FIFA’s anti-racism protocol, crossing his arms to signal the procedure and halting the match for 11 minutes.
Real Madrid players briefly threatened to leave the pitch before play resumed. Vinícius was loudly booed by sections of the home crowd afterward.
Reactions
- Real captain Federico Valverde said teammates heard “something very ugly.”
- Right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold called the incident a “disgrace to football.”
- Real coach Alvaro Arbeloa condemned the alleged abuse and said football must fight such attitudes.
- Benfica manager Jose Mourinho said words were exchanged but stopped short of directly defending Prestianni. He later received a red card after protesting against Vinícius’ conduct.
Mourinho also referenced club legend Eusebio in defending Benfica against accusations of racism.
Wider Context
Vinícius Jr has repeatedly faced racist abuse during his career in Spain, sparking protests in Brazil and global debate about racism in football. The incident in Lisbon once again raises serious concerns about discrimination at the highest level of the game.
Other Champions League Results
🇹🇷 Galatasaray 5–2 Juventus
Dutch winger Noa Lang scored twice as Galatasaray overwhelmed Juventus in Istanbul.
🇫🇷 Paris Saint-Germain 3–2 Monaco
PSG came back from 2–0 down, inspired by substitute Desire Doue, who scored twice and assisted Achraf Hakimi.
🇩🇪 Borussia Dortmund 2–0 Atalanta
Striker Serhou Guirassy scored and assisted as Dortmund took control of their tie.
