Real Madrid responds to UEFA investigation regarding allegations of racism against Vinicius Jr.

Real Madrid is facing one of the biggest racism scandals in its history, and the storm shows no signs of calming down. The famous Spanish team recently presented “all available evidence” to UEFA, as European football’s governing body investigates the serious allegations of racism made by its forward, Vinicius Jr. The issue arose during an exciting Champions League match in Lisbon, where the Brazilian reported being the target of racial abuse.

Vinicius Jr., one of the brightest stars in world football, did not hesitate to report the incident to referee Francois Letexier during the match, claiming that the racist insults came from Benfica’s winger, Gianluca Prestianni. UEFA, recognizing the seriousness of the situation, announced on Wednesday that it would open a disciplinary investigation into what occurred on the pitch.

In response, Real Madrid issued a firm statement, reiterating its full cooperation with the authorities: “Real Madrid CF announces that today it provided UEFA with all available evidence regarding the incidents that occurred on Tuesday, February 17, during the Champions League match our team played in Lisbon against SL Benfica.” The statement went on to affirm that the club is “actively collaborating with the investigation opened by UEFA following the unacceptable episodes of racism experienced during that match.”

The Merengues also expressed their gratitude for the unconditional support Vinicius Jr. has received from the global football community: “Real Madrid is grateful for the unanimous support and affection that our player Vinicius Jr. has received from all sectors of the global football community.” Real Madrid reaffirmed its commitment to working together with all institutions to eradicate racism, violence, and hatred in sport and society.

The match in question was interrupted for ten minutes, according to UEFA regulations, following a complaint from Vinicius, which occurred right after a goal celebration. Interestingly, the Brazilian forward ended up receiving a yellow card for that very celebration. After the final whistle, Vinicius took to his Instagram account to vent: “Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts over their mouths to show how weak they are. But they have protection from others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish. Nothing that happened today is new in my family’s life. I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don’t understand why. On the other side, just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose.”

In response to the accusations, Gianluca Prestianni denied any racist comment regarding Vinicius, also using his Instagram account to defend himself. Benfica, Prestianni’s club, did not remain silent and criticized what it considers to be a “defamation campaign” against its player. The controversy escalated further with statements from Benfica’s coach, José Mourinho, who faced criticism from the anti-discrimination organization Kick It Out, which labeled his post-match comments as “gaslighting.”

Mourinho, speaking about the situation, stated on a streaming platform: “I told (Vinicius), when you score a goal like that, just celebrate and move on. They (Vinicius and Prestianni) told me different things. But I don’t believe either one. I want to be independent.” Tension continues to rise as UEFA proceeds with its investigation, and all eyes are on the developments of this case that exposes the ugly face of racism in football.