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Real Madrid said on Thursday that it had given UEFA “all available evidence” in support of Vinicius Junior, their Brazilian star, who claimed to have been subjected to racist taunts during this week’s Champions League match against Benfica.
Vinicius told the referee that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni had called him a “monkey” during a confrontation, which caused the first leg of the knockout phase play-off match in Lisbon to be stopped for ten minutes on Tuesday.
The claim is denied by the Argentine midfielder, who covered his mouth during the altercation following Vinicius‘ goal celebration dance in front of the home crowd.
There was a commotion, and teammates hurried to Vinicius’s aid. Vinicius has been subjected to racist taunts since joining Real Madrid in 2018. UEFA announced on Wednesday that it would look into “allegations of discriminatory behaviour.”
Real Madrid said in a statement that it “has submitted all available evidence to UEFA regarding the incidents” that occurred during the match against Benfica, which featured “unacceptable episodes of racism.”
“Real Madrid appreciates the unanimous support, backing, and affection that our player Vinicius Jr. has received from all areas of the global football community,” the club said in a statement.
Benfica defended Prestianni in a statement on Wednesday, citing a “defamation campaign” against him. Meanwhile, manager Jose Mourinho questioned Vinicius’s celebration.
