Vinicius Jr scored a sublime second-half winner as Real Madrid beat Benfica 1-0 in their Champions League playoff first leg on Tuesday, a night overshadowed by the Brazilian accusing Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of directing a racist slur at him.

The alleged incident occurred moments after Vinicius had curled Real ahead five minutes into the second half at the Estadio da Luz, before referee Francois Letexier halted the match for 11 minutes under FIFA’s anti-racism protocol.

Television pictures showed the Argentine winger covering his mouth with his shirt before making a comment that Vinicius and nearby teammates interpreted as a racial slur against the 25-year-old, who has repeatedly suffered racism in Spain during matches.

The atmosphere turned hostile after the match resumed, with Benfica manager Jose Mourinho sent off in the 85th minute after two bookings as Real secured a slender advantage to take back to Madrid for the return leg.

“It is unbelievable that, with dozens of cameras in the stadium that none could have caught (Prestianni’s) racial slur, but if you cover your mouth to say something, that says a lot,” Real captain Federico Valverde told Movistar Plus.

“According to my teammates who were close, they heard something very ugly. Many people have been fighting against racism in football, Vinicius is one of them. I’m proud of him and his great game.”

Prestianni denied the accusation and said the Brazilian misheard him.

“I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players,” he wrote on his Instagram account.

Benfica began on the front foot but the visitors gradually assumed control while the hosts appeared content to counter-attack, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois producing a stunning one-handed save to keep out a 25th-minute strike from Fredrik Aursnes.

Real finished the first half strongly and only goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s brilliance kept the score goalless at the break, as he produced stunning saves to deny Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler.

UNSTOPPABLE CURLING SHOT

The breakthrough came five minutes after the restart. Mbappe burst forward and fed Vinicius on the left. The Brazilian cut diagonally towards the box, shifted inside and unleashed an unstoppable curling shot into the far top corner.

Vinicius celebrated by dancing with the corner flag and was booked by Letexier for an excessive celebration.

As the forward argued with the referee, he became involved in a heated exchange with Prestianni, with Vinicius and several teammates suddenly running towards the referee.

Letexier crossed his arms in front of his face to activate FIFA’s protocol and stopped the match. Real’s players threatened to leave the pitch as tensions flared before play eventually resumed 11 minutes later.

The crowd became frustrated, with Vinicius loudly booed whenever he touched the ball and the broadcast camera appeared to show an outraged Mbappe calling Prestianni “a bloody racist” to his face several times after the game resumed.

Tempers flared again in the 85th minute when Vinicius fouled Richard Rios. Mourinho stormed towards the fourth official demanding a second booking for the Brazilian but was himself cautioned for his protests.

An incensed Mourinho continued remonstrating and was promptly shown a second yellow card.

Mourinho told Movistar Plus he had spoken to both Vinicius and Prestianni and could not be biased against either player.

But he criticised Vinicius for his goal celebration.

“I don’t want to say that I’m 100% in favour of Prestianni; but I can’t be impartial and say that what Vinicius has told me is the truth. I can’t, I don’t know,” the former Real Madrid manager said.

“Vinicius … scored a goal that only he or Mbappe could score. Afterwards, he should have just celebrated with his teammates instead of getting in the face of 60,000 people in this stadium.”

-Reuters

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Real Madrid, who lost to Benfica on Wednesday, will play the Portuguese club again in next month’s Champions League knockout playoffs, while holders Paris St Germain will face fellow Ligue 1 side Monaco after the draw took place on Friday.

Teams ranked ninth to 24th in the league phase of the Champions League were drawn against each other in two-legged ties to be played between February 17-25. The winners join the top-eight teams from the league phase in the round of 16.

Benfica keeper Anatoliy Trubin scored in the 98th minute to wrap up a 4-2 win over Real in their final league-phase clash that left the LaLiga side ninth in the table, a point below eighth-placed Manchester City.

French champions PSG finished 11th after failing to win any of their last three league-phase matches, while Monaco were 21st.

Newcastle United will play Azeri side Qarabag, while Atletico Madrid, who finished three points below the top eight, will face Club Brugge.

Borussia Dortmund have been pitted against Atalanta after both teams missed out on a top-eight finish due to back-to-back losses.

Bayer Leverkusen, the other German side in the playoffs, will face Olympiacos again after losing to the Greek champions earlier this month.

Serie A leaders Inter Milan will take on Norwegian team Bodo/Glimt and Juventus will play Turkish side Galatasaray.

-Reuters

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• Summary

• Thrilling finale to Champions League first phase
• Goalkeeper saves the day for Benfica with goal at death
• Real Madrid and PSG both forced into unwanted playoffs
• Debutants Bodo/Glimt grab playoff spot
• Barcelona and Man City reach knockout rounds

Real Madrid missed out on automatic qualification for the Champions League knockout rounds as they crumbled to a 4-2 defeat at Benfica on a frenetic final night of group-stage action across Europe on Wednesday.

Kylian Mbappe’s goal had put the 15-time winners on course for the win they needed to secure a top-eight finish, but their night ended in chaos as Jose Mourinho’s Benfica roared back.

Benfica were still heading for elimination despite leading 3-2 but goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored their fourth goal in the 98th-minute — a header that meant the Portuguese giants crept into the playoffs on goal difference in 24th spot.

Real, who began the night third but ended it ninth and could face Norwegian upstarts Bodo/Glimt in the playoffs, also had Raul Asencio and Rodrygo sent off in stoppage time.

Holders Paris St Germain also slipped out of the top eight as they could only draw 1-1 at home to Newcastle United – a result that left both sides facing a playoff despite starting the final night in the automatic places.

Liverpool thrashed Qarabag 6-0 to end their group campaign in style and finish in third place — Alexis Mac Allister scoring twice and Mohamed Salah also among the goals.

Barcelona began the evening in ninth spot but spared themselves a playoff tie as they came from a goal down to beat Copenhagen 4-1. Goals from Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Marcus Rashford ensured they finished fifth, one place behind surprise package Tottenham Hotspur who won 2-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Chelsea trailed 2-1 at Napoli but two goals by Joao Pedro earned them a 3-2 win to clinch sixth spot while defeat left Napoli down and out in 30th place.

That meant five of the six English clubs are in the last 16 and could yet be joined by Newcastle.

DRAMA GALORE

Portugal’s Sporting grabbed a last-gasp 3-2 win at Athletic Bilbao thanks to a goal by Alisson Santos to snatch a top-eight spot and effectively relegate Real Madrid to the playoffs.

Manchester City beat Galatasaray 2-0 at home to jump from 11th to eighth and spare themselves a repeat of last season when they failed to reach the last-16 after losing to Real Madrid in the playoffs.

Arsenal, who like Bayern Munich were already assured of a top-eight finish, became the first club in the new 36-team group format to finish with a 100% record, beating bottom club Kairat Almaty 3-2. Runners-up Bayern ended with a 2-1 victory at PSV Eindhoven that left the Dutch club eliminated.

Just like last season, UEFA’s expanded Champions League group stage has proved a masterstroke with the suspense lasting to the final seconds of the eighth round of fixtures.

Before the 18 matches kicked off only four of the 36 clubs were definitely eliminated and only Arsenal and Bayern Munich were guaranteed to be in the last 16.

Several who started outside the top eight needed wins and other results to go in their favour with Barcelona, Manchester City and Sporting seizing their chance.

Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki were on target for City.

Inter Milan got the win they required, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 away but, like fellow Italians Juventus, will have to take their chances in the playoffs.

Juventus could only draw 0-0 at Monaco. Dortmund missed out on being seeded for the playoffs, ending 17th.

Nowhere was the drama more compelling than at Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium where Diego Simeone’s side hosted Norway’s Bodo/Glimt. Atletico led through Alexander Sorloth’s goal and at one point were into the top eight but Bodo, who stunned Manchester City last week, hit back with goals by Fredrik Sjovold and Kasper Hogh for a remarkable 2-1 win to put the Arctic Circle debutants in 23rd and into the playoffs.

Atletico ended 14th and will have to be content with being one of the seeded teams in the two-legged playoffs.

Napoli and PSV Eindhoven were not the only illustrious clubs to finish below the elimination trapdoor.

Marseille had eyes on a top-16 place and a seeded playoff berth, but a 3-0 hammering at Club Brugge meant they finished 25th with Brugge grabbing a playoff spot at their expense.

The teams who finished ninth to 24th will learn who they will face in the playoffs in Friday’s draw.

-Reuters

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