A foggy night in Lisbon
Vinícius Junior scored a great goal. A curved shot into the far corner that seemed to decide the game. But what should have been a celebration turned into another nightmare.
The Brazilian forward accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of insulting him with racist expressions. The cameras captured the tense moment. Vinícius ran towards referee François Letexier pointing at his rival.
“The cameras captured Vinícius telling Letexier that Prestianni called him ‘monkey’.”
The game was stopped for almost 10 minutes. Anti-racism protocol activated. Vinícius, with that sad experience repeated in Spain, sat on the bench. The weight was noticeable.
Divided reactions and a clear defense
Trent Alexander-Arnold had no doubts: “What happened tonight is a shame for football.” Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni revealed that the team considered leaving the field.
The defense of his teammates was immediate. Federico Valverde made it clear: “I am proud of my teammates who defended Vini.” Mbappé even verbally confronted Prestianni.
On the other hand, Mourinho criticized Vinícius’s celebration near the fans, but made a powerful reflection: “There is something wrong because it happens in all stadiums… Always.”
Meanwhile, Prestianni played until the 81st minute without a penalty and was applauded when he left. The referee indicated that he had not heard the insults.
Returning to the game was tough. Constant boos for Vinícius. He was even hit by what looked like a bottle of water. The loudspeaker announcement came late.
In the end, three points remain and a bitter taste. Again. The question that floats is the same: until when?
