Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold has strongly condemned the alleged racist abuse directed at his teammate, Vinícius Júnior. Furthermore, he has labeled the incident a “disgrace to the sport” and demanded that justice be served.
The Brazil international reported the abuse during Madrid’s 1-0 victory against Benfica in the Champions League playoff. Consequently, UEFA has opened an official investigation into the accusations made against Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni.
A “Disgrace to Football”
Alexander-Arnold was on the opposite side of the pitch when the incident occurred. However, he did not mince words when speaking to CBS Sports after the match.
“What has been reported is a disgrace to football,” Alexander-Arnold stated. “It’s a disgrace to the sport, a disgrace in society as well. There’s no place for it.”
The incident caused Referee Francois Letexier to activate the racism protocol. As a result, the match at the Estádio da Luz was paused for 10 minutes. Visibly distressed, Vinícius spoke with Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa and Benfica’s José Mourinho.
Team Stood Ready to Walk Off
Arbeloa later confirmed that the team was prepared to abandon the match. However, after discussions on the field, they decided to continue playing.
Alexander-Arnold praised Vinícius for his composure.
“Vini has reacted the right way,” the England international said. “He’s done the right thing, he’s reported it. As a team, as a club, we support him.”
Unfortunately, this is not the first time the forward has faced such abuse. Alexander-Arnold noted that Vinícius has been subjected to this numerous times in his career. Nevertheless, he expressed pride in how the team stuck together during the difficult moment.
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