The Digest:
Jose Mourinho has sensationally claimed Benfica "cannot be a racist club" after Vinicius Jr accused his player Gianluca Prestianni of racial abuse during Real Madrid's 1-0 Champions League win. Mourinho suggested Vinicius provoked Tuesday's incident with his goal celebration, telling Amazon Prime: "When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way." The former Real Madrid coach defended his club, stating: "I told him the biggest person in the history of this club was black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist." Mourinho added: "There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. A stadium where Vinicius plays something happens, always." The game was halted for 10 minutes after Vinicius reported abuse to the referee, activating FIFA's racism protocol. Prestianni denies the allegation, claiming Vinicius "misunderstood what he thought he heard." Real Madrid players including Trent Alexander-Arnold and coach Alvaro Arbeloa backed Vinicius.
Key Points:
- Mourinho's comments fuel victim-blaming narratives that shift focus from alleged perpetrator to target.
- They undermine anti-racism efforts by suggesting repeated abuse is somehow provoked.
- Vinicius faces additional scrutiny, while Prestianni's alleged actions are minimised.
- This signals the persistence of victim-blaming in football racism cases.
- The timing, with UEFA investigating, could influence perceptions of the incident.
Sources: GOAL, Amazon Prime, UEFA
