Real Madrid’s Champions League knockout play-off at Benfica was temporarily halted for 10 minutes after Brazil forward Vinicius Junior reported alleged racist abuse. Vinicius and his team-mates left the field in protest, before play resumed in the 60th minute.
Referee François Letexier signalled racist abuse with the crossed-arms gesture following a conversation with Vinicius. The forward had put Real Madrid 1-0 ahead in the second half at the Estadio da Luz before being booked for an excessive celebration.
The incident followed an on-field interaction with Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, after which Vinicius approached the referee, claiming he had been racially abused by the Argentina winger. Real Madrid confirmed the allegation in a statement.
The match continued after the 10-minute stoppage, with Real Madrid holding on for a 1-0 victory after 12 minutes of stoppage time. During the closing stages, an object thrown from the crowd struck Vinicius on the arm.
–ChannelAfrica–
