Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Benfica descended into chaos firstly of the second half following a heated verbal exchange involving an irate Vinicius Junior and Gianluca Prestianni.
Vinicius Junior brought the primary leg of tonight’s Champions League knockout play-off to life with a chunk of individual brilliance to open the scoring five minutes after the restart at Lisbon’s Estadio da Luz.
The Brazilian celebrated the wonder strike by dancing directly in front of Benfica’s home fans behind the goal – a response which immediately drew the ire of Jose Mourinho’s players.
Referee Francois Letexier showed Vinicius Junior a yellow card for his part in antagonising Benfica’s supporters by the corner flag, lots of whom responded by throwing missiles on the 25-year-old forward.
There was a delay of greater than nine minutes as each sets of players clashed on the pitch.
Nonetheless, what at first seemed innocuous soon turned sinister, with Vinicius Junior issuing a criticism to the officials about something Benfica winger Prestianni had allegedly said in the course of the melee.
Replays of the incident showed Prestianni raising his shirt over his mouth throughout the fracas, but it surely was unclear what – if anything – the Argentina international can have muttered to attract such an apoplectic response from Vinicius Junior.
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There have been whistles in the gang as Prestianni appeared to profess his innocence before a member of Madrid’s coaching orders was shown a straight red card. Mourinho was also sent off with five minutes remaining of the bad-tempered tie.
‘What’s gone on is there have been words said between the players,’ former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg said on Amazon Prime’s live commentary of the incident involving Vinicius Junior and Prestianni.
‘Vinicius Junior isn’t pleased with what’s been said. He’s informed the referee of what’s been said and the referee is now following the protocol of a racial comment that has been made.
‘He’ll now be sure that this has been reported.’
Clattenburg then appeared responsible Vinicius Junior for goading fans and ‘making it difficult for the referee’, remarks which have been met with some criticism on social media.
Clattenburg added: ‘That’s the difficult thing is that when Vinicius Junior has approached the referee, the referee now has to follow the protocol.
‘He has to follow the principles that UEFA have set out when this happens.
‘The issue in this case is he’s made it difficult for the referee. All he has to do is, yes have fun, but then turn back and he’s made it very difficult.’
In response to Clattenburg’s comments, ex-England striker Alan Shearer chimed in: ‘That doesn’t excuse whatever has been said to him.
‘There’s little question he antagonised the gang together with his celebration and he stood there for long enough, but we don’t know what has been said to him.’
More to follow.
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