Vinicius Posts Emotional Response After Racial Abuse Controversy

During the match where Real Madrid defeated Benfica 1-0 in the UEFA Champions League playoff, Vinicius Junior was racially abused by Gianluca Prestia, who allegedly called him a 'monkey' after a celebratory moment that provoked Benfica fans. In his first post-match statement, the Brazilian national team player condemned the racial abuse, calling the perpetrators cowards. He expressed confusion about receiving a yellow card for his goal celebration and emphasized that the focus should have been on Real Madrid's victory. Vinicius stated, 'Racists are just cowards who must cover their mouths with their hands to hide their true selves, showing how weak they are. Yet, they continue to be protected by those who should be punishing them.' Real Madrid teammate Aurelie Tchouameni confirmed that Vinicius told him Prestia used a racial slur, while Benfica players claim Prestia used a different offensive term. Prestia later denied using any racist language, claiming his words were misunderstood.