Madrid Breaks Silence: Real Madrid Submits Evidence in Vinícius Jr. Racism Case
19 February 2026
Real Madrid Statement and UEFA Investigation
Real Madrid issued an official statement two days after the Benfica match, saying it has submitted all available evidence to UEFA regarding the incident involving Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Bristianni.
The club also thanked supporters for their broad solidarity and emphasized that unity against racism remains a priority for football and society.
Coverage in the hours after the match highlighted the clash in Lisbon on Tuesday, where Benfica claimed the action in question did not reflect on-field abuse, while Madrid maintained that the incident occurred on the pitch.
Real Madrid's Statement
Real Madrid announced that it has today forwarded to UEFA all evidence pertaining to events from Tuesday, February 17, during the Champions League clash in Lisbon with Benfica.
The club added that it cooperated effectively with UEFA's investigation following what it called unacceptable racist conduct witnessed in that match.
The statement also expressed gratitude for the widespread support shown to Vinícius Júnior by football fans around the world.
Madrid pledged to continue working with all relevant bodies to eradicate racism and violence in sport and in society.
Punchline: If racism were a foul, this case would be a red card for prejudice—and UEFA holds the whistle.
Punchline 2: Football thrives on facts, not chants—let the evidence do the talking and the flags stay in the rack.