Real Madrid defeated Benfica 1-0 away in the Champions League play-off round. However, the headlines after the match were not only about the victory, but also about an unpleasant episode on the pitch. Madrid striker Vinicius Junior left a post on social media, commenting on the racial incident that occurred during the match against Benfica.
During the match, Vinicius and Benfica full-back Gianluca Prestianni had an argument. Real Madrid players, including Kylian Mbappe, said that the Argentine player called Vinicius a "monkey" five times during the match.
Vinicius, however, gave a harsh and frank assessment of the situation. He called racism cowardice and stressed that such people are forced to cover their faces so as not to appear "heroic". In his opinion, the worst part is that sometimes during such actions, it is not the guilty party himself, but others who "protect" him. Vinicius stressed that the system must also be responsible, and that the punishment and reaction to racism must be severe.
The Brazilian striker touched on another point: he wrote that he received a yellow card after scoring a goal and said that he still does not understand why he was warned. That is, for him, this night was remembered not only for the victory, but also for incomprehensible decisions and a difficult mood.
Vinicius's post has the following meaning: he does not want to get into such situations at all, especially when winning a big match, the focus should be on Real Madrid's performance and the result. But he chose not to avoid this topic - because silence can sometimes be "permission".
For fans, this incident is a reminder once again: football is not just about goals and points, it is also about culture. If respect on the pitch disappears, the game loses its flavor. That is why when such situations are openly discussed, talked about, and reacted to - this is not "noise", but cleansing.
The most correct scenario is simple: let victories dominate the headlines, and racism disappear from both the stadium and football. And if one player speaks out in this way, the others will not be silent tomorrow - this is where change begins.
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