UEFA investigates after Vinicius Jr racism allegation

February 19, 2026 Oliver Obel

UEFA has appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to examine allegations of racist abuse made by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during his side’s 1–0 Champions League play-off first-leg win over Benfica.

In a statement released Wednesday, European football’s governing body said it is reviewing official match reports. It later confirmed: “A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of discriminatory behaviour.”

UEFA did not indicate how long the investigation may take.

Match halted following on-field dispute

The allegation arose during the second half after Vinicius scored what proved to be the winning goal. He was booked for his celebration moments later and soon became involved in a confrontation with Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni.

Referee François Letexier stopped the match and activated UEFA’s anti-racism protocol. Both teams left the pitch during a delay of roughly 10 minutes before play resumed. During the stoppage, Vinicius was seen in discussion with Benfica head coach José Mourinho.

UEFA guidelines require referees to pause matches if discriminatory behaviour is reported, with the option of suspending or abandoning games in more serious cases.

It remains unclear what was allegedly said.

Vinicius: “Racists are, above all, cowards”

In a message posted on social media and translated from Portuguese, the 25-year-old condemned racism and questioned how the situation was handled:

"Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put a shirt over their mouths to show how weak they are.

“But they have, beside them, the protection of others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or in my family’s life.

“I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don’t understand why. On the other hand, there was only a poorly executed protocol that was of no use.

“I don’t like appearing in situations like this, especially after a great victory when the headlines should be about Real Madrid, but it is necessary.”

Vinicius has previously spoken out about racist abuse he has faced during matches in Spain, cases that prompted disciplinary action and renewed debate about how football authorities respond to discrimination.

Prestianni denies allegation

Prestianni rejected the accusation in a social media post of his own, writing:

"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."

Under Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations, which addresses racism and discriminatory conduct, a player found guilty can face a suspension of up to 10 matches. Any sanction can be appealed through UEFA’s Appeals Body and, if necessary, the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

UEFA has not said when it expects to reach a decision.

Sources: UEFA statements, social media posts from Vinicius Junior and Gianluca Prestianni.