Benfica v Real Madrid halted after exchange with prestianni as Vinicius' winner sparks racism complaint
Real Madrid held a 1-0 advantage after Vinicius Junior's spectacular second-half strike, but the match at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday night was overshadowed when the Brazil forward reported alleged racist abuse involving Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni. The game was stopped for roughly 10–11 minutes as players and officials dealt with the incident before play resumed and Real closed out the victory amid crowd disturbances and extended stoppage time.
Match action and the stoppage
Vinicius produced a curling effort into the top corner in the 50th minute to give Real Madrid the lead, a finish that underlined a dominant away display. He was booked for an exuberant celebration near the corner flag, an action that prompted confrontation from Benfica players. Shortly after the goal, Vinicius ran to referee Francois Letexier pointing toward Benfica substitute Gianluca Prestianni and indicated he had been racially abused.
The referee used the crossed-arms gesture established under the anti-racism protocol and halted the match. Vinicius walked off the pitch and was followed by his team-mates; play was suspended for about 10–11 minutes as officials handled the matter. When play resumed in the 60th minute, Real continued to press and protect their slender advantage. The remainder of the contest saw extended stoppage time — 12 minutes in total — during which an object thrown from the crowd struck Vinicius on the arm as he prepared to take a corner.
Context, reactions and consequences
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho was shown two yellow cards in the 85th minute and will be absent from the touchline for the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a number of important saves, while Benfica keeper Anatoliy Trubin had earlier been a dramatic protagonist in the season, having scored a late header in the league meeting between the sides less than three weeks earlier to secure Benfica's play-off spot.
Benfica have insisted the player involved denies any racist language. Prestianni has said he did not direct racial insults and suggested a misunderstanding of what was said. Vinicius, who has endured previous episodes of racial abuse in his career, condemned the incident, calling racists cowards. The players' decision to temporarily leave the field and the referee's use of the anti-racism gesture brought the protocol into focus; under the rules the referee may stop the match, make an announcement and, if behaviour persists, suspend play and send teams to the dressing rooms.
Beyond the immediate disruption, the scene added a volatile edge to a tie already charged by recent dramatic encounters between the clubs. Real will travel back to Madrid holding a one-goal lead but with serious off-field issues to be addressed before the return leg on Wednesday, February 25 at 3: 00 PM ET. Benfica will be seeking to overturn the deficit in front of their home crowd at the Bernabeu fixture, while disciplinary reviews and potential sanctions tied to both the on-field conduct and crowd behaviour are likely to follow.
What to watch in the second leg
The return leg promises intensity: a tight aggregate scoreline, managerial absence for Benfica on the touchline, and unresolved questions about crowd conduct and player safety. Real's attacking threat — led by Vinicius and supported by the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s creative passes — will be tested against Benfica's resilience and the home support. Officials and competition organisers will also be closely monitoring the fixture for any repeat incidents, and both clubs will face scrutiny over how they manage players and supporters in the run-up to the tie.
On the field, Benfica must find a way to trouble Thibaut Courtois and turn pressure into goals, while Real will aim to maintain their compact defensive shape and exploit chances on the break. Off the field, the incident that halted the first leg has ensured the tie will be examined as much for its sporting significance as for the wider issues it exposed.
