Tuesday’s Champions League night in Lisbon was long, tense and ultimately overshadowed by controversy. What began as a high-stakes playoff clash between Real Madrid and Benfica ended with fresh accusations of racism that once again cast a shadow over European soccer. The incident involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and Madrid star Vinicius Junior quickly crossed borders, dominating sports talk shows and social media feeds far beyond Portugal.
CBS Sports panelists condemn incident
On CBS Sports, former Arsenal and Barcelona great Thierry Henry did not mince words about what unfolded at Estadio da Luz.
“Gianluca Prestianni, tell us what you said. Be a man. Why are you covering your nose? Do you have a cold?” Henry said during the broadcast.
His colleague, former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, went even further, calling Prestianni “a coward” and adding, “Vinicius Junior would not lie.”
Henry also questioned whether the match should have been halted over what some suggested was merely an over-the-top celebration. In a passionate three-minute reflection, he said he empathized with Vinicius.
“I can relate to what Vinicius Jr. is going through. At times you feel lonely because it’s your word against his word,” Henry said.
Seedorf: “No justification for racist abuse”
Speaking on Prime Video Sport UK, former Real Madrid and AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf addressed the broader context.
“I think the fact that Vini has been going through a very difficult situation in Spain for years cannot be ignored,” Seedorf said. “We have to make it clear that there is no justification for racist abuse. There is no space for it.”
Vinicius has repeatedly been the target of racist taunts during his time in LaLiga, making any new allegation especially sensitive.
Former Netherlands international Wesley Sneijder echoed those concerns on Dutch outlet Ziggo Sport.
“Prestianni should be a man and not cover his mouth when saying something like that to Vinicius. If you’re going to say it, at least don’t hide,” Sneijder said. “It’s a scandal that people still call Black players ‘monkey.’ And one more thing. Prestianni has Black teammates. What are they thinking?”
Carragher fires back at Mourinho
After the final whistle, attention shifted to comments from Jose Mourinho, who accused Vinicius of provoking the entire stadium and inflaming tensions after celebrating his goal.
That criticism did not sit well with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.
“Anyone can celebrate however they want, and Vinicius should not receive racial abuse,” Carragher said. “It feels a bit hypocritical coming from Mourinho, a man who has celebrated and antagonized opponents more than almost any other coach. I remember a cup final against Liverpool when Chelsea scored late and Mourinho told Liverpool fans to be quiet.”
Sneijder blasts Otamendi
The match itself was heated throughout, with objects reportedly thrown from the stands and tempers flaring on the field.
One flashpoint came when Benfica defender Nicolas Otamendi pointed to a tattoo of the World Cup trophy on his body while confronting Vinicius, a reference to Argentina’s triumph over Brazil in the 2022 final.
Sneijder dismissed the gesture as childish.
“What Otamendi did was super immature. Is he thinking clearly? They were losing 1-0,” Sneijder said. “If I were Vinicius, I would have said, ‘Messi won that World Cup for you. You had nothing to do with it.’ And why is he doing this to a Real Madrid player? Does he know how many Champions League titles Vinicius has won? And he’s showing him trophies?”