Flamengo send message of support to Vini Jr after Champions League racism incident | OneFootball

Flamengo have sent a message of support to Vini Jr after the Real Madrid forward was subjected to racist abuse in Europe on Tuesday 17, when Benfica were beaten 1-0.

After scoring the winning goal, Vini Jr danced and was shown a yellow card, which sparked an argument with Benfica players.

Argentine Prestianni, covering his mouth, used the Spanish word mono, meaning monkey, towards the Brazilian, who reported it to the referee.

The former Flamengo forward left the pitch with team-mates’ support. The referee did not punish the offender and the match resumed 10 minutes later. The incident occurred in the first leg of the Champions League play-offs.

The club said in a post on X that what Vini is experiencing goes beyond football, describing his dance as genuine and spontaneous and stressing that racism is not part of the game. The message concluded by telling him he is not alone.

Flamengo now focus on the Recopa Sudamericana first leg against Lanús in Argentina on Thursday 19, kick-off 21:30 Brasília time.

Source: Coluna Do Fla