Get the Adam Clery Football Column. A newsletter that unpacks the absurdities and oddities of the beautiful gameThe ACFC newsletter: unpacking football’s absurditiesUnpack football’s oddities with the ACFC newsletterVinicius Junior has said “racists are cowards” after the Brazil forward was allegedly abused during Real Madrid’s Champions League win over Benfica.The 25-year-old left the field in Lisbon after reporting a member of the Benfica team – whom the Spanish side later claimed to have been winger Gianluca Prestianni – to the referee.The match was paused in line with UEFA regulations, resulting in a stoppage in play that lasted 10 minutes, with Vinicius going on to play the full game in Real’s 1-0 win.It came after the Brazilian had given his team the lead with a wonderful individual strike five minutes into the second half.After celebrating in front of the home fans, he became visibly upset about something said to him and immediately informed the referee.After the game, Vinicius posted in Portuguese on his Instagram story: “Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are.“But, they have protection from others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish. Nothing that happened today is new in my life and my family’s.“I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. Still not understanding why. On the other side, just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose.“I don’t like to appear in situations like this, even more so after a great victory and when the headlines have to be about Real Madrid, but it’s necessary.”Benfica boss Jose Mourinho was criticised for suggesting Vinicius had provoked the abuse, while Trent Alexander-Arnold called the incident “a disgrace to football”.Benfica boss Mourinho had said to Amazon Prime: “I told him, when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back. They (Vinicius and Prestianni) told me different things. But I don’t believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.”Mourinho then appeared to comment on previous incidents in which Vinicius has been subject to racist abuse in stadiums.The Brazilian has spoken out multiple times against racism he has been subject to inside stadiums, saying in November 2024: “I play in Spain, where I suffered a lot and still suffer.”In June of that year, three Valencia fans were jailed for eight months for racially abusing him during a…
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2026-02-18 00:32:03
