What to know about UEFA investigation into alleged racial incident involving Vinicius Jr.
CBS Sports
by
Chuck Booth
February 19, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The world of soccer is currently grappling with a significant racial incident involving Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. and Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni during their Champions League match on February 17, 2024. The game was temporarily halted after Vinicius Jr., who had scored the winning goal, celebrated near the corner flag—a routine celebration that often results in a yellow card. During this time, objects were thrown onto the pitch, and Prestianni allegedly called Vinicius a 'mono' (monkey) while raising his shirt to obscure his mouth. The referee paused the match to investigate, as per UEFA's protocol for handling potential racial discrimination.
UEFA has launched an investigation into the incident
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Originally published on CBS Sports on 2/19/2026