Racism scandal involving Vinícius Jr! Infantino speaks out clearly | OneFootball

Racism scandal involving Vinícius Jr! Infantino speaks out clearly | OneFootball

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OneFootball

·18 February 2026

Racism scandal involving Vinícius Jr! Infantino speaks out clearly

Article image:Racism scandal involving Vinícius Jr! Infantino speaks out clearly

The first leg of the Champions League playoff between Real Madrid and Benfica has caused quite a stir. After the alleged racist insult by Gianluca Prestianni towards Vinícius Júnior, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has now also spoken out. 

He was "shocked and saddened by the incident," Infantino wrote in a statement published by FIFA. "Racism has absolutely no place in our sport and in society – we need the support of all relevant stakeholders to hold those responsible accountable," the president is quoted as saying. 


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He also praised referee François Letexier for activating the anti-racism protocol and stopping the match. The game was able to resume after ten minutes, and the Royals now go into next week’s playoff second leg with a 1-0 lead.

Here you can watch Vini’s goal again in the video. 

UEFA has meanwhile launched an investigation against the Benfica star. 

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


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