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Real Madrid's Champions League play-off first leg against Benfica was suspended for close to 15 minutes on Tuesday night after Vinicius Junior left the field alleging he had been racially abused by an opposing player, triggering UEFA's anti-racism protocol at Lisbon's Estadio da Luz.
The Brazilian forward had just given the Spanish visitors a 1-0 lead with a strike in the 51st minute when the match descended into chaos. Vinicius was first booked by French referee Francois Letexier for celebrating his goal in front of the Benfica supporters, a provocation that drew fury from the home crowd and several opposition players.
What followed escalated the situation far beyond a routine booking. After an exchange with Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, Vinicius ran toward Letexier and appeared to tell the official that the Argentine had called him "mono," the Spanish word for monkey. The 25-year-old then walked off the pitch, and his Real Madrid teammates followed him to the dugout.
Letexier responded by implementing UEFA's three-step anti-racism protocol, a procedure designed to address discriminatory behaviour during matches. The protocol, introduced by European football's governing body, allows referees to halt, suspend, or ultimately abandon a game if racist incidents occur.
Former referee Mark Clattenburg, commentating for Amazon, confirmed the nature of the stoppage during the broadcast. "The referee is following the protocol for a racial comment that has been said," Clattenburg told viewers.
The interruption lasted approximately 10 to 15 minutes, during which angry confrontations broke out between the two benches. Letexier showed a red card to a member of Real Madrid's backroom staff amid the clashes.
After the delay, Vinicius was seen in conversation with Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho before eventually returning to the field. The match then resumed with Real Madrid maintaining their one-goal advantage.
The incident adds another chapter to the well-documented racism that Vinicius has faced throughout his career in European football. The Brazilian international has been targeted by supporters and players on multiple occasions in Spain's La Liga, and has become one of the sport's most prominent voices against racial discrimination. In 2023, a La Liga match between Real Madrid and Valencia was briefly halted after Vinicius was subjected to racist chanting from the stands, an episode that drew widespread condemnation and led to arrests.
UEFA's anti-racism protocol operates on a graduated three-step basis. The first step involves a public address announcement warning spectators. The second step sees the match temporarily suspended while players leave the field. The third and most severe step results in the match being abandoned entirely. Tuesday's stoppage appeared to reach at least the second stage of that process, with all players leaving the pitch before the game could continue.
The incident at the Estadio da Luz is likely to reignite debate over the adequacy of sanctions and protections for players who experience racial abuse during matches, a conversation that has intensified across European football in recent years.
The second leg of the play-off tie is scheduled to take place at Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
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