Kompany backs Vini and hits out at Mourinho, says he attacked his character | OneFootball

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany spoke out forcefully this Friday about the incident involving Vinicius Júnior in the match between Benfica and Real Madrid. 

Speaking in English for over 10 minutes during a press conference, the Belgian defended Vini, describing his reaction as a purely emotional act in response to the abuse he received.

According to Kompany, the evidence of racist gestures in the stands is undeniable and documented on video. “Vini’s reaction cannot be fake. It was an emotional reaction (...) Also in the stadium, you can see people making monkey gestures, it’s on video,” he emphasized.

Kompany was especially critical of Benfica coach José Mourinho’s stance after the final whistle. The coach regretted that the Portuguese manager attacked the Brazilian’s character to divert attention from the insults.

“For me, what happened after the match is even worse. Mourinho basically attacked Vini’s character by using his celebration to discredit what was happening,” he stated firmly.

Using Eusébio was a mistake

One of the most tense moments was Mourinho’s mention of Eusébio to defend the image of the Portuguese club. Kompany questioned the use of the past to deny current racism.

“He [Mourinho] said that Benfica can’t be racist because its best player was Eusébio. Do you know what Black players had to face in the 1960s?” the coach concluded.

Despite the harshness of his words, Kompany tried to build a bridge for professional reconciliation. Although he acknowledged Mourinho’s mistake, he admitted that he considers him a good person who fights for his own interests.

“He made a mistake. I hope it doesn’t happen again and that we can move forward together,” he concluded, hoping that these regrettable episodes will disappear from stadiums for good.

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

📸 Stuart Franklin - 2026 Getty Images