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

Prestianni called Vini Jr a monkey during the match between Benfica (POR) and Real Madrid (ESP)

Vini Jr was, on Tuesday (17th), a victim of racism once again in Europe. Thus, Flamengo showed support for the player, emphasizing that the Real Madrid (ESP) forward is not alone. Benfica (POR) lost 1-0 on the occasion.

“What Vini is going through is not just about football. There’s a kid there who dreamed, who fought, who overcame a lot to be where he is. And it hurts to see someone being attacked simply for being who they are,” stated a post from Flamengo, adding that:

“His dance is true joy. It’s spontaneous. It’s his. Racism is not part of the game. It hurts. And it cannot be normalized. Vini, you are not alone. We feel it, we support you, we are with you,” highlighted the post on X, formerly Twitter.

How did the racism occur?

Right after he scored the winning goal, danced, and received a yellow card, Benfica players started an argument with Vini Jr. At that moment, the Argentine Prestianni covered his mouth and directed a ‘mono’ (monkey, in Spanish) at the Brazilian, who reported the incident to the referee.

The former Flamengo player left the field and received support from his teammates. However, the referee did not punish the offender and resumed the match ten minutes later. The incident occurred in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs.

How is Flamengo doing without Vini?

While the star fights against prejudice, Flamengo is focusing its attention on the match against Lanús (ARG), in the first leg of the Recopa Sudamericana. The match is scheduled for Thursday (19th), in Argentina, starting at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time).

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