Racism against Vinicius: UEFA has launched an investigation

The issue of racism is once again rising during football matches in Spain. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

This time, attention is again focused around Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior. In recent years, he has faced unpleasant incidents related to racism almost every season.

According to La Liga data, since October 2021, there have been 26 recorded cases of racial discrimination against Vinicius. He has encountered such insults in 10 different stadiums across Spain.

These figures show that the problem is not a one-time event but a systemic issue. The latest incident occurred on February 17, 2026, during the match against Benfica.

That day, Real Madrid won 1-0. However, the match was stopped for 10–11 minutes because Vinicius complained about racism during the game.

This incident involved Benfica player Gianluca Prestiani, and video footage shows Prestiani covering his mouth with his shirt while speaking. Vinicius considered this act an insult.

Following this, UEFA launched an official investigation, and Real Madrid provided evidence for the inquiry. This event is not new to Vinicius.

On the contrary, he has faced such situations many times throughout his career. The most tragic aspect is that in these situations, hatred rather than football becomes the main topic.

Stopping an opponent can be part of the game in football, but insulting someone as a person goes against the principles of sport. Now, everyone is focused on what decision UEFA will make regarding this matter.

Importantly, practical measures must be taken to prevent these problems from recurring in the future.