Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has called on European football governing body UEFA to make their fight against racism into more than just a slogan after the alleged abuse of star Vinicius Junior.
UEFA provisionally suspended Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni for Wednesday’s Champions League play-off second leg against Real Madrid after Vinicius accused him of racial abuse in the first leg last week.
If UEFA find Prestianni, who argued with the Brazilian while holding his shirt over his mouth, abused Vinicius at the end of their investigation into the incident he will be suspended for a minimum of 10 matches.
“We have a great opportunity to mark a turning point in the fight against racism,” Arbeloa told reporters.
“UEFA, which has always been and has led this fight against racism, now has the chance not to leave it at just a slogan, at just a nice banner before matches, and I hope that they seize this opportunity.”
Vinicius scored a brilliant goal in the first leg, enabling Real Madrid to claim a 1-0 victory, before the alleged abuse led to the game being stopped for around 10 minutes.
Arbeloa said he believed Vinicius will thrive on Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabeu as the record 15-time champions bid to reach the last 16.
“Vinicius Junior has always shown a lot of bravery and a lot of character,” said Arbeloa.
“That is always his response, it always has been and I think it always will be.
“He is a fighter and I’m sure tomorrow he will go out to fight and have a great game, and keep showing he’s one of the best players on the planet.”
– Courtois backs Vinicius –
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois backed the 25-year-old winger, despite Prestianni and Benfica insisting there was no racial abuse.
“(Benfica) are going to believe what their player says and we are 100 percent behind Vini, because Vini has fought thousands of battles on the pitch with defenders, there have been lots of clashes with players and he has never said something like this (happened),” Courtois told reporters.
“As (Prestianni) covered his mouth with his shirt, we can never know, and I think in the end Benfica will defend their player.
“There’s not much more we can do and then it’s up to UEFA and the institutions to decide what they want to decide.”
The Belgian stopper said he disagreed with Benfica coach Jose Mourinho’s words after the game, with the veteran Portuguese manager attacking Vinicius for what he deemed a disrespectful celebration.
“At the end of the day Mourinho is Mourinho. As a coach you’re always, I think, going to defend your club and what your player has told you,” said Courtois.
“The only thing that disappoints me a bit is using Vini’s celebration, I don’t think Vini did anything wrong there…
“I don’t think we can justify alleged racism because of a celebration.”
Vinicius has been abused by opposition supporters on numerous occasions since arriving at Real Madrid. Video footage showed some Benfica fans making monkey gestures at the attacker last week.
“I think we have to be less stupid as a society,” added Courtois.
Benfica have appealed against Prestianni’s provisional one match ban to try and make him available to face Madrid.
“Prestianni is being labelled a racist person, and I can assure you he is anything but racist,” Benfica president Rui Costa told reporters earlier on Tuesday.
