Overview
- In a pre-match news conference, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany delivered a 12-minute statement condemning racism and said that, if the reported remark was true, there should be room for an apology.
- The comments followed reports that Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior was racially insulted against Benfica, allegedly by 20-year-old Gianluca Prestianni, which the player denies as the referee briefly halted play.
- Kompany criticized Benfica coach José Mourinho for attacking Vinícius’ character over his celebration, calling it a leadership mistake that distracts from the core issue.
- Former Bayern defender and European champion Markus Babbel praised the speech as outstanding and said it resonated beyond football circles, even among those who usually oppose Bayern.
- The press-conference clip drew unusual reach at about 105,000 YouTube views and over 4,000 likes, aided by Kompany’s switch to English, and he has said he will not elaborate further in the coming days.