benfica - real madrid: Vinicius winner as tie halted over alleged racist abuse
Real Madrid secured a narrow victory in Lisbon, but the result was overshadowed when the match was temporarily halted after Vinicius Jr. raised concerns of alleged racist abuse following his goal celebration. The stoppage and subsequent exchanges left players and coaches calling for clearer action against discriminatory behaviour in football.
Match action and the halt
Vinicius Jr. opened the scoring with a fine finish, giving Real Madrid the lead in a tight first-leg encounter. The opener should have been the defining sporting moment of the night, but events quickly turned ugly. After celebrating, Vinicius engaged in a confrontation with Benfica youngster Gianluca Prestianni. The situation escalated when Vinicius signalled to the referee that he had been abused, prompting officials to pause the game while players and staff conferred.
Play was suspended to allow tempers to cool and for the referee to manage the fallout. Vinicius received a yellow card for his celebration, a decision that surprised many watching and added further friction to an already charged atmosphere at the stadium. The match eventually resumed and Real Madrid held on for the win, but the incident dominated post-match attention.
Reactions and demands for stronger action
Vinicius posted a statement on social media after the game, writing that racists are "above all, cowards" and describing the episode as a recurring pattern in his career and his team's experience. He criticised what he called a poorly executed protocol and questioned why he was booked for celebrating while the larger concern about abusive behaviour was not properly addressed.
Teammates and rivals publicly condemned the scenes. Trent Alexander-Arnold described the events as "a disgrace to football, " saying the episode ruined what should have been a positive night and made the environment hostile for the players. Former players urged the game’s participants to use the episode as an educational moment: one called for greater awareness and clearer gestures from players, coaches and referees so that stadiums become less permissive of abuse.
Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa voiced full support for Vinicius, insisting the priority must be to fight racism in the sport. He highlighted the controversial moment in which Prestianni appeared to place his shirt over his mouth after the exchange and said that those actions now require explanation. Arbeloa also said Vinicius wanted to continue playing and was determined to help his team until the final whistle.
What next
The incident will be examined further as governing bodies consider whether existing stadium protocols were followed and whether disciplinary steps are warranted. Players and staff from both sides met in the tunnel after the match, and tensions spilled into exchanges off the pitch as the clubs prepare for the return fixture.
Sporting action across Europe produced other notable results on the night, but attention will remain fixed on how football authorities respond to allegations of discriminatory abuse. The Champions League second legs are scheduled for Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 (ET), with plenty at stake on the return fixtures.
For now, the immediate picture is clear: Real Madrid claimed a 1-0 first-leg advantage, but the headlines will be about the halt, the allegations and the calls from players for tougher, more consistent measures to stop racist conduct in stadiums.
