benfica - real madrid: Real Madrid victory overshadowed by alleged racist abuse of Vinícius Júnior
Real Madrid held on for a 1-0 win at Benfica in a first-leg Champions League playoff that was paused after Vinícius Júnior said he was the target of racist abuse following his spectacular opening goal. The match, played at the Estadio da Luz, finished with celebration muted and frayed tempers producing heated exchanges on and off the pitch.
What unfolded in Lisbon
Vinícius Jr opened the scoring with a moment of individual brilliance, but the game took a sharp turn after his celebration. An on-field confrontation followed between Vinícius and Benfica academy graduate Gianluca Prestianni; what was claimed to have been said led the Real forward to inform the referee and prompted a stoppage. Play was paused while players and officials sought to calm the situation and discuss the incident.
The referee issued a yellow card to Vinícius for his celebration, a decision that drew criticism from the Real camp and others watching on. The pause and the sequence that followed were described by some participants as poorly handled and confusing, with one former player calling the episode an educational moment for everyone involved. Players eventually returned to the field and Real Madrid saw out the narrow first-leg win.
Reactions and statements
Vinícius Jr issued a translated statement after the match that read in part: "Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are. " He added that nothing that happened was new to him or his team and questioned the handling of the episode, saying he received a yellow card for celebrating and that the protocol applied during the stoppage was poorly executed.
Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa said the club would stand by Vinícius and urged that football fight racism, stressing respect among players and the need to address such behaviour decisively. Former players also weighed in, with one stating that the incident should spark broader education among players, coaches and referees and that gestures and protocols need clearer implementation at all levels of the game.
Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold described the night as "a disgrace to football, " saying the scenes had tarnished what should have been a performance-focused evening. He added that there would be an ongoing investigation into the events and expressed frustration that the victory was overshadowed by the controversy.
Looking ahead
The result gives Real Madrid a slender advantage, but the tie remains open with the return leg scheduled for Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 ET for various second-leg fixtures across the Champions League playoff calendar. Other big night results included Monaco 2-3 PSG, Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Atalanta and Galatasaray 5-2 Juventus, highlighting a dramatic evening across the competition that was nonetheless overshadowed in Lisbon.
Players and club officials from both sides were involved in discussions following the final whistle, and exchanges continued in the tunnel. With strong words exchanged publicly and a high-profile player directly alleging racial abuse, attention now turns to investigators and governing bodies to establish what happened and whether further action is required. For many, the lasting image from Lisbon will be a reminder that once again football’s biggest nights can be marred by ugly scenes that demand clear, collective responses.
