3 hours ago
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Vinícius Júnior and his teammates appeared ready to walk off and the game was put on hold for 10 minutes after the Brazilian told the referee that he had been subject to racist abuse after scoring the goal that gives Real Madrid a 1-0 first-leg lead in their Champions League playoff against Benfica. Vinícius had celebrated the strike dancing in the corner of the Estádio da Luz and in the confrontations that followed, Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni said something to him while covering his mouth. Vinícius immediately ran to the referee, François Letexier, who stopped the match and crossed his arms to signal that he was doing so because of an accusation of racist abuse.
Both managers came on to the pitch and Vinícius spoke to José Mourinho to explain what had happened. Conversations and confrontations continued as Vinícius sat alone on the bench, but eventually they restarted with the Brazilian on the pitch. The noise that accompanied Benfica’s attempts to get back into it, and a red card for Mourinho as he protested a late foul on the edge of the Madrid area, were unable to eclipse the feeling that there was something empty, something sadder, about the occasion now, like this match no longer mattered. Its lasting legacy will not be about the football.
It had been different to the last time they had met, just 20 days ago. Mourinho had said that he began his analysis by watching back the last meeting, but soon turned off and threw his early prep in the bin. This Madrid is not that Madrid, he said, and that was quickly clear. Álvaro Arbeloa has settled on a structure that gives a more muscular presence in the middle, offering a solidity that simply wasn’t there three weeks ago. Benfica started brightly again, the noise rising as Rafa Silva was almost slipped in after just three minutes and there was a willingness to run through the middle from deep, particularly from Leandro Barreiro, but they would not find it so easy to tear into Madrid this time.
Thibaut Courtois made a couple of simple enough early saves, from Tomás Araújo and Amar Dedic, and then an absolutely superb stop from Fredrik Aursnes, the steady base from whom Benfica built. The Belgian goalkeeper somehow kept out a low shot with a strong left hand then, bit by bit, Madrid took the urgency from the game and began to build themselves. A lovely ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold released Fede Valverde, whose deflected pull-back fell to Vinícius who shot wide, and Madrid were starting to step forward. Another Alexander-Arnold ball flashed through the six-yard box with Kylian Mbappé sliding in and just unable to reach it.
The pace quickened again only at Madrid’s feet now, although Benfica still occasionally came out and it took a frantic flurry at the end of the first half for the chances to come in numbers. When they did, Madrid were left lamenting their failure to take the lead.
Álvaro Carreras and a superb touch from Vinícius set up Mbappé for the first of them on 42 minutes, only for the Frenchman to fire over. On 43, after Eduardo Camavinga had been allowed to advance, Mbappé turned and drew a save from Anatoliy Trubin. On 44, Vinícius got into the area to find Mbappé, whose shot was blocked. And then on 45, Trubin made a fantastic save from Arda Guler, reaching to tip his curling effort beyond a post. At that point, all Benfica wanted was for the whistle to blow, although they were annoyed when it finally did – just as they had a chance for a quick throw that might have released them.
Those laments didn’t last long, but far worse ones replaced them. They had only been back out four minutes when Vinícius was released on the left, cut inside across the corner of the area and struck a fabulous shot into the far top corner. He went to the corner to celebrate, joined by teammates as he danced. There was a reaction from part of the crowd, a yellow card for Vinícius, and then confrontations with Benfica players. After Prestianni said something to Vinícius, the Brazilian ran to Letexier.
The referee performed the gesture that indicated that he had begun the protocol for racism, stopping the game. All over the pitch, there were more confrontations, some heated, others dejected. Vinícius spoke to Mourinho, who looked sunk by it. Arbeloa was on the pitch, so too many others who came from the sidelines. Someone from the Benfica staff got a red card. Vinícius sat, alone and silent, on the Madrid bench as all around him it continued, the feeling increasing that Madrid might walk. They had been stopped for 10 minutes, when the game began again.
After it did, every time Vinícius got the ball, he was booed. Mbappé, who had stood up for his teammate, was too. The game was edgy now, although it had also felt insignificant, like the best thing that could happen was for it to come to a close. In the noise, Courtois made a save from Andreas Schjelderup. When the volume rose again soon after, it was because Vinícius was running at Benfica, Trubin saving at the near post.
Prestianni then went over appealing for a penalty, only to get a yellow card for diving. Sidny Lopes Cabral shot over and his late free-kick looped up on to the top of the net, watched from the stands by Mourinho. He had been told to walk. For a moment Madrid, sadly, had felt the urge to do the same, the night in Lisbon leaving a victory and a horribly bitter taste.
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