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| Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior |
Brazilian forward Vinícius Júnior reacted to the racist abuse he faced during Real Madrid's UEFA Champions League play-off first leg against Benfica, calling the perpetrators cowards following his goal celebration.
The Real Madrid star posted an emotional message in Portuguese on his Instagram story, expressing his disappointment over the referee's response to the incident. "Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouths to show how weak they are. But they have, on their side, the protection of others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or in my family’s life," he stated.
Vinícius Júnior revealed that he received a warning card for celebrating his goal against Benfica, adding to his frustration. "I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal, and I still don’t understand why. On the other hand, it was just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose. I don’t like appearing in situations like this, especially after a big victory, when the headlines should be about Real Madrid—but it is necessary," he added.