By Martin Graham
Trent Alexander-Arnold described the alleged racist abuse aimed at Vinicius Junior during Real Madrid’s Champions League victory over Benfica as a “disgrace to football”, saying the incident overshadowed both the result and an “amazing goal”.
The game at the Estadio da Luz was stopped for 10 minutes after Vinicius informed referee Francois Letexier of alleged racist remarks from Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni. The Brazilian forward and his teammates briefly left the pitch before play resumed.
Vinicius, who has previously faced racist abuse during his career, later wrote on Instagram that “racists are, above all, cowards”.
Alexander-Arnold said there is “no place” for such behaviour in football or society, adding that it was “disgusting” to see a special night damaged in that way.
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho suggested after the match that Vinicius had not celebrated his decisive goal in a respectful manner before the confrontation occurred.
“There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium,” Mourinho said. “In a stadium where Vinicius plays something happens, always.” Asked whether he believed the forward had incited the crowd, he replied: “Yes. I believe so.”
He also referenced Benfica legend Eusebio, saying the club “is not racist” and stressing that one of its greatest figures was black. Mourinho added that Vinicius and Prestianni had provided him with different accounts of what happened and that he preferred to remain independent rather than side with either player.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf criticised Mourinho’s stance, saying he had made “a big mistake” by appearing to justify racist abuse. Seedorf insisted such conduct should never be defended and said Vinicius had already endured enough unjustified treatment.
Theo Walcott also questioned Mourinho’s decision to speak as he did, suggesting it might have been a moment when the Portuguese coach should not have faced the media.
Calls for swift action ahead of second leg
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe urged UEFA to take firm measures, saying Prestianni should no longer be allowed to compete in the Champions League if the allegations are upheld.
Mbappe said he respected Benfica and Mourinho but felt that a player involved in such an incident did not deserve to participate in Europe’s leading club competition. He added that the governing body now faced a serious case and expressed hope that decisive steps would follow.
With the return leg scheduled in Madrid next Wednesday, Walcott called for the matter to be handled urgently rather than being allowed to drag on for months.
Thierry Henry, speaking on CBS, reflected on his own experiences of racist abuse, saying he understood what Vinicius might be feeling. Henry noted that such situations often come down to one person’s word against another’s and pointed to Prestianni covering his mouth during the exchange, saying it raised questions about what had been said.