Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior argues with referee Francois Letexier.
Real Madrid’s Champions League play-off round win over Benfica was overshadowed by alleged racist abuse of Vinicius Junior by an opposing player.
The Real forward left the field and refused to return, resulting in a stoppage in play that lasted 10 minutes, after accusing a member of the Benfica team of making a racist comment.
The referee paused the game in line with UEFA regulations, but it appeared at one stage that the first leg in Lisbon would not be able to continue.
It came after the Brazilian had given his team the lead five minutes into the second half.
After celebrating in front of the home fans, he became suddenly and visibly upset about something said to him by a Benfica player and immediately informed the referee.
He spent much of the time that the game was paused seated in the Real dugout.
When he did return, the game became chaotic, with objects thrown at the referee and booing directed at Junior.
Junior also had a heated argument with Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho, who was later given a red card and sent to sit in the stands after protesting a decision not to give Junior a second yellow card in the 85th minute.
After the match, Junior took to Instagram and posted in Spanish: "Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouths with their shirts to show their weakness."
Junior has faced racist abuse while playing for Real Madrid in the past. In 2023, he said the Spanish football league La Liga, "belongs to racists."
A match between Real Madrid and Valencia was temporarily stopped for seven minutes in the second half, after Junior told the match referee he had been racially abused by fans who chanted "monkey" at him.
After the match, he said: "It wasn't the first time, or the second or the third. Racism is normal in LaLiga. The competition thinks it's normal, as does the federation, and the opponents encourage it," Vinicius said in a social media post.
"The league that once belonged to Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Cristiano [Ronaldo] and [Lionel] Messi now belongs to racists... But I'm strong and I will fight until the end against the racists. Even if far from here."
This led to a spat between Junior and the head of La Liga, who claimed at the time moves were being made to combat racism in the league.
Real Madrid has made over 10 complaints to La Liga regarding racist abuse towards Junior since he joined the team over six years ago.
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