Carragher tears into Mourinho after Vinicius racism storm
Jamie Carragher has strongly criticised Jose Mourinho following the Benfica manager’s remarks about Vinicius Jr after Tuesday night’s Champions League clash in Lisbon.
According to reporting by Lee Wilmot for GiveMeSport, the controversy unfolded after Real Madrid’s 1,0 win over Benfica at the Estadio da Luz, where Vinicius scored the decisive goal before becoming involved in a heated exchange with Gianluca Prestianni.
Flashpoint in Lisbon
GiveMeSport reported that Vinicius celebrated his goal in front of Benfica supporters before Prestianni approached him, covering his mouth with his shirt while speaking to the Brazilian. Vinicius later alleged he had been racially abused during the exchange.
The match was halted for approximately 10 minutes while officials addressed the situation. UEFA has not publicly confirmed the substance of the allegation, and the matter remains under review.
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The incident once again placed Vinicius, who has previously spoken about racist abuse in stadiums across Spain and Europe, at the center of a wider debate about football’s response to discrimination.
Mourinho questions celebration
Speaking after the game, Jose Mourinho suggested the Real Madrid forward’s conduct may have contributed to the tension inside the stadium.
When asked whether Vinicius had incited the crowd, Mourinho said: "Yes. I believe so. It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal. Unfortunately [he was] not just happy to score that astonishing goal. When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way.
"I told him, when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back. They [Vinicius and Prestianni] told me different things. But I don't believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.
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"When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person [Eusebio] in the history of this club was black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.
"There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. A stadium where Vinicius plays something happens, always."
His remarks drew immediate reaction, particularly in England, where the debate was picked up during CBS Sports’ Champions League coverage.
Carragher and Richards respond
On CBS Sports, Jamie Carragher rejected Mourinho’s framing of the situation and defended Vinicius’ right to celebrate freely.
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He said: "Anyone can celebrate how they like and he shouldn't get racially abused no matter what, it just feels a little bit rich coming from Mourinho, not so much the racial angle and the Eusebio stuff, but this is a guy who celebrates and antagonises the opposition more than any coach has ever done in the past.
"Remember him running down the touchline at Old Trafford. I remember him in a cup final against Liverpool when Chelsea scored very late, telling all the Liverpool supporters to shut up, cupping his ear to opposition supporters a lot, so it's a bit rich coming to him having a pop at Vinicius Jr for his celebration for a huge goal in a huge Champions League game. He's more than entitled to celebrate how he likes."
Micah Richards also voiced disappointment, arguing that Mourinho, as one of football’s most influential figures, should have chosen his words more carefully.
"I'm just disappointed. Mourinho is someone I absolutely love as a coach and he could have just talked about something different when he was trying to deflect.
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"I expect better from him because he's a powerful person within the sport, a lot of people listen to what he says and Jamie's right, hypocrisy from him talking about Vini Jr when he celebrates exactly how he wants and I just feel a little bit let down."
Growing scrutiny on football’s response
The episode has added to ongoing scrutiny around how European football handles allegations of racist abuse, particularly in high profile matches. With the second leg still to come, attention is likely to remain on both the sporting contest and the broader disciplinary response.
Sources: GiveMeSport
