Real Madrid's Champions League match at Benfica was halted for 10 minutes after Vinicius Junior reported alleged racist abuse by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni to referee Francois Letexier.
According to reports from Amazon Prime, Vinicius Junior and his team-mates temporarily left the field following the incident. The match was part of the Champions League knockout phase play-off tie, with Real Madrid winning 1-0.
As reported by CBS, former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry reflected on his own experiences of racist abuse during his playing career, stating that he can relate to what Vinicius Junior is going through.
Reaction to the Incident
England international Trent Alexander-Arnold condemned the abuse, saying it is a "disgrace to football" and "disgusting". Former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf criticized Benfica manager Jose Mourinho's comments on the incident, saying he made a "big mistake" by justifying racial abuse.
Mourinho claimed Vinicius Junior did not "celebrate in a respectful way" after his goal, and said that the player's behavior may have incited the crowd. Vinicius Junior said on Instagram that "racists are, above all, cowards".
Call for Action
Kylian Mbappe called for Prestianni to no longer be allowed to play in the Champions League following the alleged incident. Theo Walcott, speaking on Amazon Prime, urged Uefa to take urgent action, saying it "needs to be dealt with immediately".
The two clubs are set to meet for the second leg in Madrid on 25 February. Uefa has yet to comment on the incident.
