Vinícius Júnior central to Benfica flashpoint as racism row hits 20 recorded cases | OneFootball

Vinícius Júnior was back in the spotlight after Real Madrid’s Champions League win at Benfica’s Estádio da Luz. He scored, danced by the corner flag and was booked as tempers rose and home players confronted him.

According to Glorioso 1904, after a clash with Gianluca Prestianni he said he had been called a monkey in Spanish, and this marked the 20th racism-related episode involving him since his 2018 move from Flamengo.

The first recorded case came on 4 October 2021 at Camp Nou during El Clásico, when a supporter shouted racist abuse. In March 2022, Mallorca fans made monkey noises and told him to pick bananas, with Spain’s courts judging the insults despicable but not criminal.

September 2022 saw fresh controversy via comments on El Chiringuito and chants from Atlético Madrid fans. The first punishments followed late in 2022 over abuse at Real Valladolid, with five people convicted of a hate crime in May 2025.

In January 2023 a mannequin in his shirt was hung from a Madrid bridge, and the culprits were convicted. On 21 May 2023 at Mestalla, he confronted the stands after further insults, and three Valencia fans were convicted in 2024.

Episodes continued in 2024, including offensive chants before Atlético Madrid’s Champions League tie with Inter Milan, and further occurrences in 2025 and 2026 against Real Sociedad and Albacete. In total, 18 supporters have been sanctioned with jail terms, fines or stadium bans for racist abuse towards the Brazil international.

Source: Glorioso 1904