Overview
- Referee François Letexier halted the Champions League tie for about 10 minutes using the crossed‑arms anti‑racism signal after Vinícius reported abuse shortly after scoring in Real Madrid’s 1-0 first‑leg win in Lisbon.
- Gianluca Prestianni publicly denied using racist language, and Benfica released pitchside footage arguing Real Madrid players could not have heard the alleged remark from that distance.
- Kylian Mbappé said he heard Prestianni call Vinícius a “monkey” several times and urged a Champions League ban, while teammates and the Brazilian federation expressed support for the Real forward.
- FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned the alleged incident and praised the referee’s response, as reports noted sustained jeering of Vinícius and objects thrown from the stands; José Mourinho’s comments about the goal celebration drew criticism.
- UEFA said it is reviewing match reports and has opened an investigation; if discriminatory abuse is proven, sanctions under its guidelines could include a multi‑match suspension, with the second leg set for next week at the Bernabéu.