Vinicius Jr refused to play on following an alleged racist comment made to him by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.

Vinicius Junior scored against Benfica in UCL and celebrated like Roger Milla before being racially abused.

Real Madrid’s Champions League knockout play-off tie at Benfica was halted for 10 minutes after Vinicius Jr initially refused to play on following an alleged racist comment made to him by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.

Vinicius Jr had just given Real the lead – after which he celebrated in front of the Benfica fans, for which he was booked – when he was confronted by Prestianni, who pulled his shirt up over his mouth before saying something to the Madrid forward.

Vinicius Jr ran to speak to match referee Francois Letexier, who immediately stopped the game.

Following Vinicius Jr’s complaint, the referee responded by crossing ​his arms in front of his ⁠face, activating FIFA’s anti-racism protocol and temporarily stopping the match.

Fede Valverde on Prestianni: “When you cover your mouth with your shirt to say something, it’s obviously to say something really ugly”.

“He said a word that should never be used. It was pathetic, what he said. It’s really, really bad”.

Posting after the game in Portuguese on his Instagram story, Vinicius Jr wrote: “Racists are, above all, cowards.

“They need to put their shirts over their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are.

“But they have, on their side, the protection of others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish. Nothing that happened here today was new in my life and my family’s.

“I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don’t understand why. On the other hand, just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose.

“I don’t like appearing in situations like this, even more so after a great victory and when the headlines have to be about Real Madrid, but it’s necessary.”

Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was seen speaking to a visibly upset Vinicius Jr and a member of the Benfica coaching staff was shown a red card during the lengthy stoppage.

After a number of discussions between players, coaches and the referee, play then resumed.

Real Madrid held on to win 1-0, with Mourinho also sent off for a separate incident, but there was a further short delay late in stoppage time when fans threw objects as Vinicius Jr was attempting to take a corner kick.