As usual, Vinicius Junior sparked controversy in the Real Madrid vs. Benfica match, this time after scoring the opening goal for Los Blancos at the Estádio da Luz.
Vini received the ball on the edge of the penalty area, then surged forward and unleashed an unstoppable shot to give Real Madrid the lead in the 50th minute.
The Brazilian went to the corner flag and celebrated in a manner that appeared provocative, drawing a barrage of abuse from Benfica fans. This led to a heated confrontation between him and the Portuguese club’s players.
فينيسيوس جونيور يفتتح التسجيل لريال مدريد بهدف رائع ✨⚽
لمسة مهارية تُشعل أجواء المباراة أمام بنفيكا#دوري_أبطال_أوروبا #رمضان_مع_beIN#RamadanwithbeIN pic.twitter.com/Rf5rmiD62I— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) February 17, 2026
According to journalist Ramón Álvarez, Benfica player Gianluca Brestiani covered his face and directed a racist insult at Vinicius.
Vinicius approached the referee amidst further racist chants from the Benfica supporters, forcing the Frenchman to follow the standard protocol in such cases and halt play.
During the break, José Mourinho spoke with Vinicius to persuade him to return and play again. After a few minutes, the referee decided to resume the match, and the Real Madrid players returned to the pitch.
With every touch of the ball Vinicius received, he was met with loud boos from the Benfica fans, who felt his goal celebration was disrespectful, sparking the entire incident.
