Robin Bairner
Jose Mourinho, Vinicius Junior, Benfica, Real Madrid, 2025/26
© IMAGO
Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho’s criticism of Vinicius Junior after the Real Madrid star was the subject of racial abuse in the Champions League playoff round on Tuesday has ended any prospect of a Bernabeu return.
Vini Jr scored the only goal in the Lisbon clash but was then subject to a torrent of abuse from the crowd following his celebration.
Subsequently, Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni allegedly said something of a racist nature to the Brazil international attacker, having used his shirt to cover his mouth from cameras when he was speaking to the Real Madrid ace.
Los Blancos were left so furious that they departed the pitch for 10 minutes before returning to close out the game with a 1-0 victory, leaving a cloud hanging over the tie before the second leg in the Spanish capital next week.
What did Mourinho say?
Following the match, Mourinho, who has also led the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United during a legendary career, chose to focus on Vini Jr’s ‘disrespectful celebration’ and ignored the serious allegations made by winger towards Prestianni.
The former Real Madrid boss was asked if the match-winner had incited the crowd and said: “Yes. I believe so.
“It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal. Unfortunately he was not just happy to score that astonishing goal. When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way.
“I told Vinicius, when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back. When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club, Eusebio, was black.
“This club, the last thing that it is, is racist. If in his mind there was something in relation to that, this is Benfica.
“Vinicius and Prestianni told me different things. But I don't believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.”
Jose Mourinho and Vini Jr
© IMAGO - Jose Mourinho and Vini Jr
Mourinho’s response to Vini Jr racist claims criticised
Mourinho’s comments received widespread criticism from pundits.
Speaking on Amazon Prime, Clarence Seedorf said: “I think he is still emotional. I think he made a big mistake today to justify racial abuse.
“He's saying it's OK, when Vinicius provokes you, to be racist - and I think that is very wrong.
“We should never, ever justify racial abuse. Vinicius has had enough of that unjustified behaviour from people. I know Mourinho by heart would agree with me but he expressed himself a bit unfortunately, I believe.”
TNT Sports Theo Walcott said: “I love everything Jose Mourinho has done in football but I think he has made a poor decision in that sense. It was maybe the one time we shouldn't have heard from him, the one night he should not have been in front of the cameras.”
Benfica double down
Some hours after the game, the official Benfica X account claimed: "As the images demonstrate, given the distance, the Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim to have heard."
For Mourinho, who was later sent off for dissent in the clash, his reaction surely ends any prospect of returning to Real Madrid in a managerial capacity.
The Portuguese, who has had two previous stints in the Bernabeu hotseat, had been touted as a possible replacement for Alvaro Arbeloa should the interim boss continue to struggle.
The Real Madrid players, furious about the incident in Lisbon, are unlikely to welcome any figure who failed to back one of their star men.
Jose Mourinho: Benfica boss in the eye of the storm
© IMAGO - Jose Mourinho: Benfica boss in the eye of the storm
“I think what has happened tonight is a disgrace to football and overshadowed the performance, as well as an amazing goal,” Trent Alexander-Arnold fumed.
“Vini has been subject to this a few times throughout his career. To ruin a night like this for our team is a disgrace.
“There is no place for it in football or society. It is disgusting.”
Vini Jr: Racially abused yet again
Vinicius Junior has repeatedly been the subject of racism during his career since moving to Real Madrid, with numerous reports of racist chanting towards the 25-year-old.
The first high-profile incident involving the winger came during El Clasico on 24 October 2021, when a Barcelona fan is alleged to have shouted a racial slur towards him.
Numerous problems have followed. The most notable of these have come against Atletico Madrid, whose fans hung a mannequin of the player from a bridge near Real Madrid’s training ground.
Perhaps the biggest single incident came in Valencia, when Vini Jr confronted a fan behind one of the goals. It was alleged the supporter was shouting a slur and making gestures towards him. Valencia’s stadium was given a partial closure for five games while three fans received eight-month prison sentences for their actions.
He has also suffered problems against Mallorca, Valladolid, Osasuna, Real Betis, Sevilla and Inter Milan.