Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior has received support from around the world of football since he accused Gianluca Prestianni, but not in Portugal, and not from Jose Mourinho. The incident sent ripples through the game, and while it is not the first time that Vinicius has dealt with racism on the pitch, it is the first occasion it has come from another player.
After the incident occurred, Real Madrid and their players all backed Vinicius to th hilt, while Benfica expressed their support for Prestianni. One Portuguese journalist went viral for claiming that the role of former dictator Francisco Franco in Spanish football meant Real Madrid should not complain about racism. A more rational perspective was provided by Lilian Thuram, who questioned why the word of Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe was not sufficient evidence for some people.
Vinicius angry with Jose Mourinho
Beyond Prestianni, the person who has come in for the most criticism is arguably Jose Mourinho. The Benfica manager noted that he ‘did not want to say Vinicius was a liar’, but after refusing to take sides on the alleged racism, shifted the conversation to Vinicius’ celebrations just before the incident. He claimed that his behaviour was provocative, and a ‘problem in every stadium’.
El Chiringuito say that this has not gone down well with Vinicius, and he is angry with Mourinho for his comments after the match. The Brazilian does not understand how he could give equal value to the alleged racism as his celebrations as ‘provocative’, and considers Mourinho’s response ‘repulsive’.
🚨 EXCLUSIVA de @marcosbenito9.
😡 “VINICIUS está CABREADO con MOURINHO”.
👉 “Considera REPULSIVO que equipare su celebración con el insulto racista”. pic.twitter.com/lLKeXseRDC
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) February 20, 2026
Mourinho will not return to Santiago Bernabeu
Due to his sending off at the Estadio da Luz, Mourinho will not make his return to the Bernabeu because of a suspension. He is not due to speak ahead of Benfica’s tie with AVS this weekend, and may not appear at the press conference in Madrid before their Champions League clash next week, but he will likely face questions about the incident after the league clash.
