Vinicius Jr. Alleged Racism Row: Former FC Porto Star Urges Jose Mourinho to Apologise, video
- Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Benfica was eclipsed by Vinicius Jr’s explosive allegation of racist abuse against Gianluca Prestianni
- Kylian Mbappé supported his teammate’s accusation, while Benfica dismissed it as a defamation campaign
- In a video, a former striker who played under José Mourinho urged him to admit he mishandled his comments
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Real Madrid edged Benfica 1-0 in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie on February 17 in Lisbon, but the narrow victory quickly became overshadowed by controversy, which happened in the second leg.
Source: Getty Images
According to Flashscore, the return leg is scheduled for February 25 at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the fallout from the incident continues to dominate discussion around the fixture.
Vinicius accuses Prestianni of racism
At the centre of the storm is Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr, who allegedly suffered racist abuse during the match.
The Brazilian star, who scored the only goal of the game in the 50th minute, reported to the referee that Benfica’s 20-year-old Argentine midfielder Gianluca Prestianni directed offensive racial remarks at him.
The accusation gained further weight when Kylian Mbappe backed his teammate’s version of events, stating that he also heard Prestianni make inappropriate comments.
Source: Getty Images
The claims prompted UEFA to launch an official investigation into the matter, as European football’s governing body seeks to establish the facts surrounding the alleged incident.
Vinicius, who has endured multiple episodes of racist abuse throughout his career, later addressed the issue on social media. In a post on Instagram, he described racists as cowards, reinforcing his longstanding stance against discrimination in football.
Benfica, however, have strongly rejected the allegations. The Portuguese club insists that Prestianni did not racially abuse Vinicius and has described the situation as a defamation campaign targeting the young midfielder.
Benni McCarthy urges Mourinho to apologise
Benni McCarthy, a former South African striker, weighed in on controversial remarks made by José Mourinho, under whom he won the 2003/04 Champions League at FC Porto.
Speaking to the BBC World Service, McCarthy suggested that Mourinho should acknowledge he handled a recent situation poorly.
McCarthy admitted that Mourinho’s comments were wrong but emphasised that emotions can sometimes lead individuals to say things they later regret. He described the Benfica boss as someone he knows personally and defended his character, particularly regarding his relationship with African players.
Watch Benni McCarthy's video below.
According to McCarthy, Mourinho has always shown respect and support toward players from the continent.
In his concluding remarks, the former striker expressed hope that Mourinho would eventually clarify his stance and admit his error, describing him as a man capable of reflection and accountability.
McCarthy maintained that while mistakes happen, taking responsibility is what ultimately defines leadership.
Prestianni addresses Vinicius racism claims
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that following hours of conflicting accounts and widespread debate over the incident involving Gianluca Prestianni, the young Argentine finally spoke out on social media.
In a firm statement, Prestianni denied Vinicius Junior’s allegations, insisting that he never made any racial slurs during their on-field confrontation.
Source: YEN.com.gh
