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The anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out has accused José Mourinho of gaslighting for his response to Vinícius Júnior’s allegations of racist abuse.
Vinícius reported that he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during Real Madrid’s Champions League playoff first leg. On Wednesday Uefa said it would “investigate allegations of discriminatory behaviour”.
Mourinho, the Benfica manager, has been heavily criticised for appearing to suggest Vinícius had provoked the abuse with his celebration after scoring the only goal early in the second half.
He said to Amazon Prime: “I told him: ‘When you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back.’ They [Vinícius and Prestianni] told me different things. But I don’t believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.”
Mourinho then appeared to comment on previous incidents in which Vinícius has been subject to racist abuse in stadiums. “There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium,” he said. “A stadium where Vinícius plays, something happens, always.”
Those words were met with a strong rebuke from Kick It Out, which said: “When anyone reports discrimination in football, or anywhere, the first priority is that they are listened to and feel supported. Focusing on Vinícius Jr’s goal celebration or the history of the club, instead of acknowledging the report, is a form of gaslighting.
“This approach not only harms the individual affected but also sends the wrong message to others around the world who may have experienced similar situations. Leaders in football have a crucial role in setting standards, and moments like these call for responsible leadership that reinforces respect, inclusion, and accountability.
“We look forward to a thorough investigation into this incident, with appropriate accountability linked to the outcome.”
The former Real midfielder Clarence Seedorf, who was working as a pundit at the game, thinks Mourinho made “a big mistake” with his comments. He said on Amazon Prime: “He said wherever he goes these things happen, so he’s saying it’s OK when Vinícius provokes you, that is it OK to be racist, and I think that is very wrong. We should never, ever justify racial abuse.”
Prestianni denied making racist comments, writing on Instagram: “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard. I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”
Benfica posted on X, attaching a quote Prestianni had shared on Instagram: “Together by your side.” The club also posted a video on X accompanied by the message: “As the images demonstrate, given the distance, the Real Madrid players could not have heard what they are saying they heard.”
The match was paused in line with Uefa regulations, resulting in a stoppage that lasted 10 minutes, with Vinícius going on to complete the game. Vinícius posted on Instagram: “Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are. But they have protection from others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish. Nothing that happened today is new in my life and my family’s.”
