A Portuguese journalist has used former Spanish dictator Francisco Franco as a justification for Gianluca Prestianni’s alleged racial abuse towards Vinicius Junior. The reaction in Portugal to the incident has contrasted that across Spain, and more widely, Europe.
The story of the week, lamentably, in European football has been what Prestianni said to Vinicius Junior during Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Benfica. Prestianni has defended his innocence, but Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe have claimed that he was called a monkey by the Benfica winger. It is now subject to an investigation by UEFA.
Portuguese journalist goes viral for Franco comment
The fallout from the incident has been colossal, with no shortage of despair-inducing comments made about Vinicius, not least from Benfica manager Jose Mourinho. However one Portuguese journalist, Joao Queiroz, has gone viral for his comments on the incident. During a reaction programme on CMTV, he had the following to say.
“Franco protected Real Madrid. He was a fascist and a xenophobe. And now Real Madrid comes out with this?” as quoted by Cadena Cope.
E quando pensas que os lampiões não podem descer mais baixo, vem este corno e diz que o Real Madrid não se pode queixar de racismo porque era o clube do Franco. Até parece que o Benfica não era o clube do Estado Novo…
PORCO!
Cai o verniz de comentador isento com facilidade… pic.twitter.com/pdIHTyyIRL— Emanuel Almeida (@VemDeMansinho) February 18, 2026
The role of Franco in Spanish football and the regime’s alleged use of Real Madrid as a political ambassador is a subject of intense debate in Spain, but suggesting that Real Madrid should not call out racism as a result crosses into the territory of a surrealism that Salvador Dali would have been proud of.
Benfica’s reaction to Vinicius incident
Beyond’s Mourinho’s Benfica have come out in support of Prestianni, claiming that Kylian Mbappe’s version of events do not add up, and have also backed up the Argentine’s words. There have also been videos of racist gestures towards Vinicius from Benfica fans in the stands which are clear, and have not been condemned or addressed by the Portuguese club.
