Real Madrid booked their spot in the Champions League last 16 on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory over Benfica (3-1 aggregate), a win midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni called a “victory for everyone who stands against racism.”
The match followed allegations that Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni racially abused Vinicius Jr. during the first leg.
Prestianni, who denied the claims, served a one-match ban and missed the return fixture. Before kick-off, Real fans displayed a “No to Racism” banner in a show of solidarity with their forward.
After falling 1-0 down, Tchouameni equalized before Vinicius Jr. netted the winner in the 80th minute.
Vinicius marked his goal with his trademark dance, later posting on social media: “The dance goes on.”
Teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold praised Vinicius’s composure, stating he “steps up when we need him most.”
While the night was a triumph for the Spanish giants, the club confirmed a setback for Kylian Mbappe, who missed the match with a knee injury and faces a period on the sidelines.
