Anti-racism charity Kick It Out has accused Jose Mourinho of 'gaslighting' Vinicius Jr after the Benfica manager claimed his players had been 'incited' before the Real Madrid star allegedly suffered racist abuse.
Mourinho took aim at Vinicius Jr in the aftermath of Benfica's 1-0 defeat by Madrid on Tuesday night, insisting that the Brazilian had provoked his players and fans with what he felt was an overexuberant celebration following his goal in the second half.
Moments later, Vinicius Jr reported an alleged racist comment directed towards him by Benfica star Gianluca Prestianni, claiming he was labelled a 'monkey' while the player's mouth was obscured from view behind his shirt.
Speaking to Amazon Prime after the match, Mourinho said: 'It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal in a good game... these talents are able to do these beautiful things but unfortunately he [Vinicius] was not just happy to score that astonishing goal and then the game was over. When you score a goal like that you celebrate in a respectful way.'
When asked if Vinicius had 'incited' Benfica's players and fans with his exuberant celebration, Mourinho said: 'Yeah, I believe so. The words they exchange, Prestianni with Vinicius, I want to be independent. I don't comment about it.'
Mourinho was seen speaking with Vinicius and Mbappe during the lengthy pause in play, and revealed what he had told the Brazilian.
'I told him that when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back,' he added. 'And then, when he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club was black. This club, the last thing it is is racist, so if in his mind it was something in relation to that, this is Benfica.
'There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. Every stadium that Vinicius plays [in] something happens. Always.
'I'm saying that it was a good 50 minutes of football, millions of people watching around the world, a crazy goal absolutely crazy goal and then game over.'
Kick It Out have unequivocally condemned Mourinho's comments, insisting that those who 'focus on Vinicius Jr's celebration' are 'gaslighting' the situation.
The charity said on X: 'When anyone reports discrimination in football, or anywhere, the first priority is that they are listened to and feel supported.
'Focusing on Vinicius Jr’s goal celebration or the history of the club, instead of acknowledging the report, is a form of gaslighting.
'This approach not only harms the individual affected but also sends the wrong message to others around the world who may have experienced similar situations.
'Leaders in football have a crucial role in setting standards, and moments like these call for responsible leadership that reinforces respect, inclusion, and accountability.
'We look forward to a thorough investigation into this incident, with appropriate accountability linked to the outcome.'
UEFA are expected to open an investigation into the alleged incident. It comes after Benfica published a statement on Wednesday afternoon firmly backing their player.
The Portuguese giants said: 'The Club reaffirms, clearly and unequivocally, its historical and unwavering commitment to defending the values of equality, respect, and inclusion, which align with the core values of its foundation and which have Eusébio as their greatest symbol.
'Sport Lisboa e Benfica reiterates that it fully supports and believes in the version presented by the player Gianluca Prestianni, whose conduct while serving the Club has always been guided by respect for opponents, institutions, and the principles that define Benfica's identity.
'The Club regrets the defamation campaign to which the player has been subjected.'
That statement followed a bizarre social media post, published in the early hours of the morning, in which Benfica shared new footage of the alleged exchange - claiming that no Madrid player was close enough to Prestianni to hear any remark he may have made after the goal.
'As the images demonstrate, given the distance, the Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim to have heard,' the official account said, prompting backlash from football fans.
Prestianni himself has vehemently denied accusations of racism, posting on Instagram: 'I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to player Vinicius Junior, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard. I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.'
Later, on X, Prestianni questioned what he felt was a subdued initial reaction from Vinicius's team-mates, given the gravity of the accusation levelled against him. He also explained why he raised his shirt over his mouth.
'If they keep saying that SUPPOSEDLY I made a racist comment to Vinicius Junior, then why didn't any of them react?' he asked. 'Accusing someone of something serious isn't right, and even less so when it's not true.
'And everyone pointing fingers at me for covering up with my shirt when they know that all soccer players cover their mouths to talk. Don't try to make up more.'