Benfica have responded to reports concerning alleged racist abuse directed at Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, stating that they do not believe Real Madrid players on the field could have heard the incident as described.
The Portuguese club issued their position after reports emerged that some Real Madrid players claimed to have heard racist insults aimed at Vinícius during a match involving Benfica. In their response, Benfica denied that this was possible from the locations where the visiting players were positioned on the pitch at the time of the alleged abuse.
According to the club, the configuration of the stadium, the distance between the sections of the crowd and the visiting players, and the overall noise level during the match would have made it extremely difficult for Real Madrid’s players to clearly hear specific words from individual spectators. Benfica argued that crowd noise, chants, and general atmosphere typically drown out isolated comments coming from the stands, especially when play is ongoing.
While Benfica rejected the idea that Real Madrid players could have reliably heard the alleged abuse, the club did not provide a detailed public account of any internal investigation steps, nor did they disclose whether stadium audio, security reports, or steward observations had been reviewed. They focused instead on disputing the claim that players on the pitch were in a position to accurately identify racist language coming from the crowd.
The club also framed their statement in the context of their broader stance against discrimination. Benfica historically present themselves as opposed to racism and other forms of abusive behavior and reiterated that any proven incidents of racism in their stadium would be condemned and dealt with under existing regulations. However, in this case, they emphasized their belief that the Real Madrid players’ accounts about hearing racist abuse from the stands were not credible, given the circumstances they described.
No further official comment from Real Madrid or Vinícius Júnior was included in the immediate reaction to Benfica’s position, and it remains unclear whether governing bodies or competition organizers will open a formal investigation or request additional evidence related to the incident. Without more public documentation, the situation currently rests on Benfica’s denial that the visiting players could have heard what has been alleged, set against the initial claims that prompted the club’s response.
