prestianni benfica: Vini Jr. accuses opponent of racism as referee activates anti-racism protocol
Real Madrid claimed a 1-0 victory at the Estádio da Luz, but the headline moment on the night was the confrontation that followed Vinícius Júnior's second-half brilliance. After his strike, Vini Jr. alleged a racial slur from Benfica youngster Gianluca Prestianni, prompting the referee to pause the match and trigger the competition's anti-racism protocol.
Match halted after goal celebration and confrontation
The decisive moment came early in the second half when Vinícius produced a stunning strike to open the scoring. His celebration near the corner flag, close to a section of the home support, sparked protests from Benfica players and a heated exchange on the pitch. The referee showed Vini a yellow card for the celebration, and a verbal clash ensued between the Brazilian and Prestianni.
Vinícius then moved to inform the match official that he had been subjected to a racist remark. The referee immediately signalled the activation of the anti-racism protocol and stopped play. The interruption lasted roughly 10 minutes as players, coaches and match officials sought to defuse the situation. Team-mates clustered around Vini for protection and support, with several high-profile players from the visitors staying close to him as the tension eased.
During the stoppage, members of both coaching staffs engaged in prolonged discussions on the touchline while stadium stewards and officials managed the crowd. Objects were thrown toward the area where Vinícius had been celebrating, and the forward was jeered repeatedly when play resumed. The match continued to completion with Real holding the slender advantage.
Denials, backing and the official aftermath
Prestianni has publicly denied using racist language, stating that he would never be racist and that the incident was a misunderstanding. Vinícius maintains he was targeted with a racial slur; at least one visiting team-mate spoke up in defence of the Brazilian, asserting what he heard. The charged exchange left emotions high on both benches and among supporters.
The referee's formal match report will set out the official sequence of events and the specifics of the intervention. That report will be central to any subsequent disciplinary review. UEFA's anti-racism mechanisms are designed to investigate such complaints: the protocol's activation forced the temporary suspension of play and will now be followed by the body responsible for competition discipline.
On the field the immediate consequence was limited to the stoppage and the yellow card already issued. Off the field, scrutiny is likely to intensify: club officials, player representatives and competition authorities will all examine what took place in Lisbon and the actions taken by match officials during and after the incident.
What comes next
The tie now moves to its second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 3: 00 PM ET. Beyond the sporting stakes, the remainder of the tie will take place under heightened attention given the accusations and the protocol intervention in the first leg.
Disciplinary and investigatory procedures could follow once the match official's report and any available audio-visual evidence are reviewed. Both clubs are likely to face questions over crowd conduct and player behaviour, while the governing competition body will decide whether further action is warranted. For fans and neutrals, the upcoming return match will be watched not only for the on-field drama but also for the way the institutions involved handle a sensitive and serious allegation.
Until the official documentation is released, the matchday images and participants' statements will form the public record of a night that mixed a spectacular goal with a fraught episode that eclipsed the final scoreline.
