Vinicius Junior delivered a strong post-match statement following Real Madrid CF’s 1–0 UEFA Champions League victory over S.L. Benfica on February 17, 2026.
The Brazilian forward accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of racist abuse after scoring and celebrating. Softfootball understands that his mode of celebration led to a temporary match interruption and a yellow card shown to Vinicius.
As updated by Fabrizio Romano on his official X account, Vinicius identified Racists as cowards who need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are. He also expressed frustration over being booked for celebrating his goal, saying he still does not understand the decision and believes the protocol was poorly executed and served no purpose.
BREAKING: Vinicius Jr statement. “Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are”. “But they have the protection of others who, theoretically, have an obligation to punish them”. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or in my team’s life. I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don’t understand why”. “On the other hand, it was just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose”. “I don’t like to appear in situations like this, especially after a big win and when the headlines should be about Real Madrid, but it’s necessary”.
The episode echoes Vinicius’ ongoing battle against racism since joining Madrid in 2018, amid repeated investigations and growing calls for stricter enforcement across European football. Despite the controversy, he once again proved decisive, leading Los Blancos with a statement performance. The Brazilian forward led from the front, stepping up in key moments to tilt the tie in Madrid’s favour.
Meanwhile, Galatasaray S.K. stunned Juventus F.C. 5–2, inspired by Gabriel Sara’s masterclass. The midfielder was everywhere dictating the tempo, slicing Juventus open with clever passes, and leading the press.
