The Champions League match between Real Madrid and Benfica, which was overshadowed by the allegations of racist insults directed at Vincius Junior, has brought fresh controversy over refereeing decisions and manager Jos Mourinho. The Portuguese coach addressed the red card after the match, denying that it had anything to do with any reaction to the Brazilian forward.
Strong criticism from manager Jos Mourinho
Portugal manager Jos Mourinho, known for his straightforward style in high-pressure matches, claimed he had been instructed by the referee to protect certain Real Madrid players from bookings.
“They sent me off because I said something very clear. The referee had a piece of paper saying that he would not give a yellow card to Orien Choamni, Carreras or Dean Huyssen,” he said in the post-match press conference. “He didn’t show a single card to Carreras or Choamuni. I told the referee exactly that. I’ve been on the bench for 1,400 games, so I know how these things work.”
The comments added fuel to an already heated Champions League play-off match, which was suspended for nearly 10 minutes after Vincius Jr. reportedly received a racist insult from Gianluca Prestiani.
As a result of the incident, Mourinho was suspended for a red card and will not be on the bench in the return match against Santiago Bernab, admitting that this could have an impact on his team.
“You can’t go into the locker room, you can’t communicate directly with the team. It’s going to be very difficult. But the assistants will be there and they will do their part.”
