Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg’s comments on the issue were not well-received after the match between Benfica and Real Madrid was called off due to an alleged racist comment towards Vinicius Junior.
Mark Clattenburg was on pundit duty for the match between Real Madrid and Benfica (Image: Getty)
Mark Clattenburg’s reaction to allegations of racism against Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has drawn heavy criticism on social media. The former Premier League referee provided commentary on Amazon Prime alongside Alan Shearer during the Champions League play-offs.
Álvaro Arbeloa’s side broke the deadlock just after half-time with Vinicius Junior scoring the dramatic winning goal. The winger fired a shot into the top corner and celebrated enthusiastically by dancing in front of the corner flag.
The Brazilian player, who was shown a yellow card during his celebrations, claimed he was racially abused. Referee François Letexier responded by invoking UEFA’s anti-racism protocols, resulting in the match being extended for 10 minutes.
read more: Jose Mourinho furious and sent off during Real Madrid vs. Benficaread more: Vinicius Junior claims racist abuse during Benfica vs. Real Madrid suspension
Clattenburg shared his views on the situation, hinting that Vinicius’ reporting of the alleged comments made the referee’s life “very difficult.”
“As a referee, I have had situations before where players reported racial comments on the field,” he said.
“All he (the referee) can do is give a report. UEFA will then investigate this. It’s very difficult for a referee in this situation.”
He faced widespread criticism for his analysis on X (formerly Twitter), with many viewers expressing their disapproval. @AdamJoseph wrote, “Mark Clattenburg got the hint. Vinicius Jr. says ‘gets difficult’. He can celebrate his score in front of the crowd.”
Join us on Facebook! For the latest news, analysis and more on our Mirror Football Facebook page
“There’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t justify or in any way justify the allegations of racist abuse. This shouldn’t be said.”
@AlexisIsKavkas tweeted: “Clattenburg’s comments on TNT are absolutely disgraceful. TNT needs to take the mic away from him. He’s digging an even deeper hole for himself. He doesn’t give enough weight to what was said to Vini.”
@MikeHal08477906 said: “Honestly, I can’t believe Mark Clattenburg was invited to do another show after his antics with Vini Jr. I felt Alan Shearer cringe over the TV. I wonder if he told the director to shut up.”
Make us your preferred source to ensure the latest sports headlines always appear at the top of your Google searches. Click here to enable or add us as a preferred source in your Google search settings
@RussMCR also said, “Mark Clattenburg stinks,” while @jonsheaa simply wrote, “Mark Clattenburg? Are you okay?”
The match was suspended for approximately 10 minutes and eventually resumed, with Real Madrid’s team returning to the pitch despite having been sent off initially. The exact words directed at Vinicius that sparked the suspension are not yet clear, but the allegations arose after Gianluca Prestianni covered his mouth when confronted by the Madrid player.
“I don’t know what was said to him,” said Shearer, who worked as a pundit with Clattenburg. “I see Jose Mourinho over there, and he’s gone to talk to the Real Madrid staff and Vini Junior himself to calm down.”
Vinicius Junior claims he was racially abused during Real Madrid’s match against Benfica (Image: Octavio Passos – UEFA, UEFA via Getty Images)
“It’s such a shame. We should be talking about great skill and how he created the magic that this game needs.”
After the stoppage, Vinicius was jeered by Benfica fans every time he touched the ball. He initially refused to return to the pitch, but later rejoined the rest of Real Madrid’s squad.
In the final minutes of the match, Benfica manager Mourinho received two yellow cards in quick succession and was given his marching orders for an unrelated incident. In stoppage time, Vinicius was also hit in the head with a water bottle thrown by a home fan.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League games this season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
