UEFA Champions League / Benfica - Real Madrid: José Mourinho reveals what he whispered to Vinícius!

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·18 février 2026

UEFA Champions League / Benfica - Real Madrid: José Mourinho reveals what he whispered to Vinícius!

Benfica - Real Madrid: Mourinho reveals his conversation with Vinícius

UEFA Champions League / Benfica - Real Madrid: José Mourinho reveals what he whispered to Vinícius!

Vidéos OneFootball

The Benfica-Real Madrid clash (0-1) delivered more than just sporting drama. The day after the first leg of the Champions League playoffs, a major controversy is dominating the headlines in Lisbon: a suspected incident of racism involving Vinícius Junior and Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, which led to the match being halted amid an explosive atmosphere.

Mourinho steps into the spotlight

In the aftermath, José Mourinho tried to ease tensions by speaking directly to the Madrid winger. During the press conference, the Portuguese manager took ownership of his words:

"I told Vini Jr that the celebration should be different. This club has Eusebio as a legend, a Black player. Benfica is not a racist club."

A statement aimed at defending the image of the Lisbon club.

But this intervention was not enough to calm the debate, as the issue remains highly sensitive. With serious accusations and a charged atmosphere, the return leg at the Bernabéu is already shaping up to be electric—far beyond the stakes on the pitch alone.

🚨 José Mourinho on Vinicius Jr: “When it happens in so many stadiums, always with the same, there is something wrong”. “I told Vini: you scored a wonder goal, why did you celebrate like that? Why can’t you celebrate a goal with just the happiness of being a great player?”.
– mardi 17 février 2026