Jose Mourinho, Kylian Mbappe, Gianluca Prestianni Reacts to Vinicius Jr. Controversy vs. Benfica

The situation soon escalated the Real Madrid star got into a heated exchange with Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni. Vini Jr. then ran to the referees and reported that he had been allegedly called a "M**key" by the 20-year-old Benfica player.

The game was then halted for about 10 minutes as the officials evaluated the situation and decided how to proceed. The match eventually restarted after a discussion amongst the officiating crew, and no disciplinary action was taken on the field. Alvero Arbeloa's side went on to win the game 1-0.

Jose Mourinho, Kylian Mbappe, and Gianluca Prestianni Send Strong Reaction to Vinicius Jr. Controversy vs. Benfica

Right after the game, Prestianni released a statement, denying Vini Jr's accusations of directing racist remarks at the Real Madrid forward. The young Benfica player said, "I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr, who has regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard from me. I was never racist with anyone, and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players."

Benfica manager Jose Mourinho also issued a statement. The Legendary Portuguese manager blamed Vini Jr. for 'provoking' Benfica fans with his celebration and reminded that this wasn't the first time the Brazilian was involved in a controversy like this.

Although Prestianni denied the racism allegations, Mourinho made it clear that he isn't taking sides, as he wasn't on the field when the incident occurred. However, the ex-Real Madrid manager firmly reiterated that Benfica isn't a racist club.

Mourinho said, "Vini Jr. provoked the fans? In how many stadiums has this happened? He’s an incredible player. I love him. But when you score a goal like this, celebrate with your teammates. But I will be independent. I will not say I believe Prestianni or Vini, I was not there. Prestianni denies it, but I will not pick a side. The biggest legend in this club is Eusebio. This club is not racist.”

Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe also came forward after the game to back his teammate. The French star has strongly urged UEFA to ban Prestianni from the competition to set an example.

Mbappe also said, "He called Vinicius a monkey five times! I saw that clearly. His face doesn’t lie. This is unacceptable. UEFA has the best cameras, and that guy is not my type of human. We will never leave Vini Jr alone."

During the incident, Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt while speaking, so it's hard to be sure exactly what the 20-year-old Argentine said to Vini Jr. UEFA has launched a disciplinary investigation into the incident. According to sources, UEFA intends to interview everyone involved in this incident. If no evidence is found, sanctions won't be imposed.