Vinicius Junior, forward for Real Madrid, has alleged he was racially abused during his side’s 1–0 Champions League win over Benfica. The incident reportedly involved Benfica youngster Gianluca Prestianni and occurred early in the second half.

The match at Estádio da Luz was paused for several minutes after Vinicius approached referee Francois Letexier to report the alleged remark. The Brazilian had just scored shortly after halftime and celebrated in front of home fans, which sparked tension on the pitch.

During the heated moment, objects were thrown from the stands and players confronted each other. The referee made a gesture commonly used in UEFA matches to signal a racism complaint. Reports claim Vinicius accused Prestianni of calling him a racist term, though the exact words remain unconfirmed.

The clash also saw a Benfica staff member sent off, while coach Jose Mourinho was dismissed late in the game, meaning he will miss the return leg. The incident has added controversy to what was already a tense Champions League encounter.