Mark Clattenburg Apologizes for Comments on Vinicius Jr.'s Racism Allegations During Real Madrid vs. Benfica Clash

In a tense Champions League play-off match between Real Madrid and Benfica on Tuesday, Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior alleged racial abuse from Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, leading to an eight-minute stoppage in play. The incident unfolded after Vinicius scored the opening goal and received a yellow card for his celebration, during which he pointed toward Prestianni. Referee Francois Letexier then initiated the racial abuse protocol by crossing his wrists.

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, providing commentary for Amazon Prime, drew widespread criticism for his remarks during the stoppage. Clattenburg stated that Vinicius "has made this difficult for the referee" and added that the forward "has not helped himself" by not quickly returning to position after celebrating. These comments sparked backlash on social media, with former player Troy Townsend declaring that Clattenburg "should never be involved in commentary ever again."

On Wednesday, Clattenburg released a statement expressing regret. "Nothing justifies racism in sport or in life," he said. "I’m grateful to have a chance to follow-up on last night, I got it wrong, I’m sorry. It was live TV, my job is to respond in the moment and the words I used were clumsy and not right. I’m already learning from this and appreciate my colleagues who covered the situation with class throughout."

UEFA has since opened an formal investigation into Vinicius Jr.'s allegations, though it could take weeks to conclude, meaning the 20-year-old Prestianni is likely to feature in the second leg at Real Madrid's Bernabeu on February 25. Prestianni denied the claims in an Instagram post, while Real Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappe alleged he heard Prestianni call Vinicius a "monkey" five times.

The controversy extended to post-match reactions. Benfica coach Jose Mourinho accused Vinicius of inciting the incident, reminding the forward that Benfica's legendary player Eusebio, considered the biggest figure in the club's history, was Black. Mourinho added, "Every stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens." These remarks were criticized by Clarence Seedorf and Thierry Henry on Amazon Prime, with Henry accusing Mourinho of deflection.

Benfica responded via social media, attaching video of the incident and stating: "As the images demonstrate, given the distance, the Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim to have heard."

Vinicius Jr., who has faced multiple racist incidents in Spain, took to Instagram later that night: "Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts over their mouths to show how weak they are." Real Madrid secured the win, setting up a crucial return leg.