Kylian Mbappe delivered a forceful defence of Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior following the chaotic scenes that marred their Champions League first-leg victory at Benfica.
The Brazilian winger of Cameroonian descent had opened the scoring for Madrid, but his goal celebration drew the ire of the home fans and quickly escalated tensions on the pitch.
Vini Jr was booked for his reactions, and shortly after, a confrontation with Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni prompted a match suspension under UEFA protocols as controversy enveloped the stadium.
Mbappe spoke out immediately after the game, detailing what he witnessed and condemning the alleged abuse directed at his teammate.
“Vinicius scores the goal and goes to dance. The crowd boos him, which is something that happens. Then there is a moment of tension with the Benfica players, which can also happen because this is the Champions League and it’s normal, as people want to win for their fans,” Mbappe said.
He added that Prestianni allegedly directed racial slurs at Vini Jr, lifting his shirt to shout “monkey” multiple times, a claim the French forward emphasized he had heard clearly. Mbappe insisted that such behaviour is unacceptable and must be addressed to preserve the values of the game.
The incident drew the attention of Real Madrid’s staff and even saw Mbappe being approached by José Mourinho during the suspension.
“He tried to understand what happened. He told me that he will never accept these types of things. I already had a good impression of José Mourinho, and now I have an even better one because I know he is a coach with values and will not let these things pass,” Mbappe said.
Mbappe’s comments highlighted both the importance of confronting racism in football and the need for measured discussion to ensure clarity.
“It needs to be explained calmly, we must not speak in general terms. There are people who did nothing wrong. Surely there were 70,000 people who wanted to support their team,” he said.
The Frenchman concluded that allowing such behaviour to go unchecked undermines the sport and called for decisive action against any player found guilty of racial abuse.
The Champions League, Mbappe stressed, should inspire players and fans alike, particularly the younger generation, reinforcing football’s core values.
