Benfica 0-1 Real Madrid: Alvaro Arbeloa’s side overcome Benfica resistance in first leg
At one point towards the end, when Real Madrid won a corner, Vinicius stood near the corner flag, seemingly taking his time, and Benfica fans began to throw objects at him. But that was only one scene, and strangely perhaps the least concerning in this chaotic affair of a football match on a Champions League night.
There was also Vinicius running to the referee early in the second half, alerting him to something that had been said to him, thought to be racial abuse from Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni. The referee paused the game and for 10 minutes it was delayed. A scuffle broke out on the pitch near the sidelines and it was filled with people from the technical area.
There was Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe conversing with Jose Mourinho, explaining the matter and expressing their displeasure. Then there was Vinicius sat on the Madrid bench, seemingly unwilling to continue. Mbappe was having a war of words with Benfica captain Nicolas Otamendi. The referee was sending a member of Benfica’s coaching staff into the stands.
Vinicius has repeatedly faced racial abuse in Spain, but that has always been from a few supporters in the stands. Tuesday was unique as the first time a fellow footballer has apparently abused the player. It is still not clear what was said – it might have been the Spanish word for “monkey” as Vinicius appeared to suggest.
It is also difficult to see how matters will be resolved, seeing as Prestianni had apparently covered his mouth with his shirt to utter the abuse to the Brazilian.
Benfica vs. Real Madrid paused for 10 minutes after:
▪️ Vini scores
▪️ Vini is booked for celebrating
▪️ Prestianni says something to Vini
▪️ Vini charges over to ref who initiates the racism protocol
▪️ Benfica coaching staff member gets red pic.twitter.com/ypYJe3RFb2— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 17, 2026
Moments before the breakdown of order was a stunning strike from Vinicius to break open Benfica’s resistance. Cutting inside from the left wing, the forward twisted and unloaded, the ball fizzing through the air and past the flailing arms of Anatoliy Trubin, Benfica’s goalkeeper who had had his moment towards the end in this same fixture last round.
It was Trubin’s goal that had sealed Madrid’s place in the playoffs and saved Benfica from a league phase exit. Here it was Vinicius’s moment, after Benfica had executed Mourinho’s near-perfect gameplan in the opening half, creating threats and simultaneously frustrating their visitors with disciplined defending.
But Madrid were also guilty of profligacy, particularly Mbappe who wasted several clear chances in the first half. First he failed to sort out his feet and get a touch on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s superb cross. Then followed a slick team move, Alvaro Carreras sending the ball to Vinicius, who flicked backwards to Mbappe. The France forward blazed over.
Credit also to Trubin, who did good work to save one on one against Mbappe in the minutes before the break, before getting a fingertip to Arda Guler’s shot and directing it out for a corner.
In the end, with the football match having descended into utter mayhem, the home fans rancorous, and even Mourinho himself sent to the stands for excessive protestations, Vinicius braved the red mist in the stadium, his goal having handed Madrid the advantage ahead of a return leg at the Bernabeu.
