Overview
- Vinícius Júnior accused Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni of racist conduct during the Champions tie against Real Madrid.
- Speaking March 1 before Benfica’s league game with Gil Vicente, José Mourinho said he repudiates discrimination but will await due process.
- He cited Article 11 to underscore presumption of innocence and repeatedly framed his comments with conditional language.
- Mourinho criticized UEFA’s preventive exclusion of Prestianni from the Madrid match, arguing the decision relied on a disciplinary article without acknowledging conditionality.
- He addressed Álvaro Arbeloa’s public criticism by insisting he would not take sides and noted the case remains under disciplinary scrutiny.