Dance, Vini! Ex-Flamengo star sends Real to last 16, Prestianni cries | OneFootball

Real Madrid (ESP), with Vini Jr, qualifies for the Champions League Round of 16

After all the controversy in the first leg of the Champions League playoff between Real Madrid (ESP) and Benfica (POR), Vini Jr's team is through. This Wednesday (25th), the Spaniards won 2-1, with a goal from the Flamengo academy product, who also scored in the first leg, in the 1-0 victory.

WHAT WAS THE CONTROVERSY?

In Lisbon, Vini Jr accused Benfica’s Argentine player Prestianni of racism. The case gained worldwide attention in recent days and even led to a banner from Real Madrid fans this Wednesday (25th), displaying the words “no to racism” before kickoff.

Prestianni even traveled to Spain, but the player did not go to the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium and stayed at a hotel in Madrid. The Argentine received a one-match suspension from UEFA and, therefore, could not be included in the Champions League match squad.

HOW WAS THE MATCH?

Real Madrid’s 1-0 advantage from the first leg didn’t last long. Just 14 minutes in, Rafa Silva opened the scoring for Benfica, leveling the aggregate, after taking advantage of a rebound from Courtois. However, the Portuguese side had no time to celebrate.

That’s because, at the 16-minute mark, Aurélien Tchouaméni equalized. For Flamengo fans with a good memory, the goal was similar to Elias’s in the Round of 16 of the 2013 Copa do Brasil against Cruzeiro. Arda Guler sent a low cross from the right, and the Frenchman finished with a right-footed shot.

In the second half, Benfica pressed forward. Former Flamengo player Richard Ríos almost scored, forcing Courtois to make a great save. However, to Prestianni’s despair, Vini was on the pitch. At the 35-minute mark, the academy product got past Otamendi and scored a real stunner. In his celebration, he repeated the dance at the corner flag that sparked the controversy in Lisbon.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.