Jose Mourinho has faced fierce backlash following his response to Vinicius Jr’s racism allegation during last night’s Champions League playoff encounter between Benfica and Real Madrid.
The Portuguese manager, who was dismissed during the match, drew widespread condemnation after suggesting the Brazilian forward bears some responsibility for racist incidents he encounters.
“There is something wrong as it happens in every stadium where Vinicius plays, always something happens,” Mourinho stated in his post-match comments.
The remarks sparked immediate criticism from television pundits, who accused the Benfica boss of attempting to justify racist abuse.
The dramatic incident unfolded moments after Vinicius netted a spectacular goal in Portugal, only to be shown a yellow card for his exuberant celebration.
This booking triggered a heated exchange between players from both sides, during which Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni pulled his shirt over his mouth whilst speaking to the Real Madrid star.
Vinicius promptly approached the match official to report an alleged racist remark, leading to extraordinary scenes as the fixture was suspended for 10 minutes.
Vinicius Jr was left furious during Real Madrid’s Champions League win over Benfica | GETTY
Real Madrid initially refused to resume play before the first leg eventually continued, with the Spanish giants securing a 1-0 victory.
In his post-match defence, Mourinho claimed Prestianni denied making any racist remarks and accused Vinicius of provoking the home supporters.
“When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way. I believe so (he incited the crowd),” the former Chelsea manager said.
Football clubs with the most Champions League titles | GETTY
Mourinho also invoked Benfica’s history, telling Vinicius: “The biggest person [Eusebio] in the history of this club was black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.”
He maintained he wished to remain “independent” on the matter, stating both players had given him conflicting accounts of their exchange.
The pundit reaction was swift and damning. Former England captain Wayne Rooney declared: “It’s very unfair what he’s saying about Vinicius.”
Ex-Arsenal winger Theo Walcott suggested the Benfica manager should have avoided media duties entirely, noting: “It wasn’t a night for him to be in front of the camera.”
Perhaps the strongest rebuke came from Dutch legend Clarence Seedorf, who accused Mourinho of crossing a fundamental line.
“Jose made a huge mistake today by justifying racism,” Seedorf said.
“We should never ever justify racist abuse. Mourinho would agree with me but he expressed himself unfortunately.”
Vinicius responded to the incident on Instagram, describing those who engage in racist abuse as fundamentally weak individuals.
“Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouths with their shirts to show their weakness,” the forward wrote.
He also criticised those who shield perpetrators from consequences, adding: “But they also count on the protection of others who, in theory, have the obligation to punish them.”
The Brazilian acknowledged such experiences were familiar territory, stating: “Nothing that happened here was new in my life or in that of my family.”
