Jose Mourinho intensified the spotlight on Gianluca Prestianni’s situation at Benfica, declaring that the winger’s career under him ends instantly if UEFA confirms he racially abused Vinicius Jr (realmadrid.com in Bing). The Portuguese coach addressed the issue with firm conviction, balancing his principles with the need for a fair investigation.
Mourinho reinforces his stance against discrimination
Mourinho stated that he rejects every form of discrimination and expects the same from every Benfica player. He stressed that he will not tolerate any behaviour that contradicts those values. He also highlighted the importance of presumption of innocence, insisting that he cannot condemn a player without verified evidence.
Prestianni, 20, denied racially abusing Vinicius during their Champions League play‑off first leg on 17 February. UEFA issued a provisional one‑match suspension, which kept him out of the second leg while investigators review the incident. The winger could face additional sanctions once the ethics inspector completes the case.
Benfica push back against media claims
Reports in Portugal suggested Prestianni admitted to using a racist insult. Benfica responded strongly, calling the claims false and damaging. The club said the Argentine apologised to teammates for the incident’s impact but repeated that he never used racist language. They emphasised that he assured everyone he does not hold racist beliefs.
The match at the Estadio da Luz produced heavy controversy. Mourinho received a red card after accusing referee Francois Letexier of avoiding bookings for Real Madrid players. He later said that “something always happens” when Vinicius plays, referencing the Brazilian’s frequent involvement in heated moments.
Coach stands by earlier comments on Vinicius
After the first leg, Mourinho suggested Vinicius provoked the crowd by dancing at the corner flag after scoring. Critics attacked him for that view, but he refused to retract it. He said he aimed for fairness, refusing to defend Prestianni blindly or attack Vinicius without proof.
Mourinho also expressed affection for Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa, whom he coached during his time in Spain. However, he insisted that he took the correct position in the aftermath of the incident.
Vinicius delivers again on the pitch
Vinicius scored in the second leg in Madrid, helping Real overturn a 1-0 deficit to win 2-1 on the night and 3-1 on aggregate. His performance pushed the Spanish champions into the next round while the investigation surrounding the first leg continues to dominate the conversation.
