Real Madrid fans unveil banners supporting Vinicius ahead of Benfica second leg

By Jamie Gardner, Press Association Chief Sports Reporter, and Phil Blanche

Real Madrid fans displayed anti-racism banners before kick-off as Vinicius Junior met Benfica again.

Vinicius started for Real eight days after the first leg of the Champions League play-off round tie in Lisbon, during which the Brazilian alleged he was racially abused by Gianluca Prestianni – something the Benfica player denied.

Real fans held up banners with messages of support for Vinicius – who had scored the only goal in Lisbon – before kick-off at the Santiago Bernabeu.

And as the players took to the field, two forceful messages – “No to racism” and “Respect” – were read out.

UEFA had imposed a provisional sanction on Prestianni on Monday, ruling him out of the tie, although the Argentinian winger had travelled to Madrid as part of the Benfica squad.

Benfica had appealed against the decision to ban Prestianni, but UEFA dismissed the Portuguese club’s case on Wednesday afternoon.

“Mr Gianluca Prestianni remains provisionally suspended for the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible,” a UEFA statement read.

UEFA appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator (EDI) following the first leg and made a swift decision.

UEFA said on Monday the imposition of a provisional suspension was “without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies”.

The Brazilian left the field and refused to return, resulting in a stoppage in play that lasted 10 minutes of last Tuesday’s first leg.

It came after Vinicius had given his team the lead with a wonderful individual strike, curling the ball home from a tight angle five minutes into the second half.

After celebrating in front of the home fans, he became suddenly and visibly upset about something said to him and immediately informed the referee, who stopped the match.

Benfica boss Jose Mourinho, who was roundly criticised for his comments about the incident after the game, did not conduct the usual pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

Mourinho appeared to intimate after the first leg that the winger had brought any abuse upon himself with his celebration and said that “a stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens, always”.

Anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out responded by accusing Mourinho of “gaslighting”.

Mourinho was expected to watch the second leg from the stands after being sent off in Lisbon for angrily shouting towards referee Francois Letexier.