By Martin Graham
Trent Alexander-Arnold described the alleged racist abuse against which he was directed Vinicius Junior during of Real Madrid Champions League win over Benfica as a “disgrace to football”, saying the incident overshadowed both the result and an “amazing goal”.
The match at the Estadio da Luz was stopped for 10 minutes after Vinicius reported to referee Francois Letexier about alleged racist remarks by Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni. The Brazilian forward and his team-mates briefly left the pitch before resuming play.
Vinicius, who has previously faced racist abuse during his career, later wrote on Instagram that “racists are mostly cowards”.
Alexander-Arnold said there was “no place” for such behavior in football or society, adding that it was “disgusting” to see a special night spoiled in this way.
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho suggested after the game that Vinicius had not celebrated his decisive goal respectfully before the clash took place.
“There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium,” Mourinho said. “In a stadium where Vinicius plays something happens, always.” Asked if he believed the striker had incited the crowd, he replied: “Yes, I think so.”
He also referred to Benfica legend Eusebio, saying the club “is not racist” and stressing that one of its great figures was black. Mourinho added that Vinicius and Prestianni had given him different accounts of what happened and that he preferred to remain independent rather than side with either player.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf criticized Mourinho’s stance, saying he had made “a big mistake” by appearing to justify racist abuse. Seedorf insisted that such conduct should never be defended and said that Vinicius had already suffered enough unjustified treatment.
Theo Walcott also questioned Mourinho’s decision to speak out as he did, suggesting it could have been a time when the Portuguese manager should not have faced the media.
He calls for quick action before the second leg
Against Real Madrid Kylian Mbappé urged UEFA to take firm action, saying Prestianni should no longer be able to compete in the Champions League if the allegations are confirmed.
Mbappé said he respected Benfica and Mourinho but felt a player involved in an incident like this did not deserve to play in Europe’s leading club competition. He added that the governing body is now facing a serious case and expressed the hope that decisive steps will follow.
With the return scheduled for Madrid next Wednesday, Walcott called for the matter to be resolved urgently rather than being allowed to drag on for months.
Thierry Henry, speaking to CBS, reflected on his own experiences of racist abuse, saying he understood what Vinicius might feel. Henry noted that these situations often come down to one person’s word against another’s and noted that Prestianni covered her mouth during the exchange, saying it raised questions about what was said.
