During the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between Real Madrid and Benfica, play was halted for 11 minutes. Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior accused Argentinian winger Gianluca Prestiani of making a racial insult towards him. The incident occurred shortly after Vinicius scored a goal early in the second half of the match in Lisbon, leading to heightened tensions on the field.

As Vinicius celebrated his goal, television footage showed a verbal exchange between him and Prestiani. Subsequently, Prestiani appeared to cover his mouth with his shirt before making a comment that Vinicius and his nearby teammates interpreted as a racial insult. This incident is part of a troubling pattern, as Vinicius has faced racial discrimination during matches in Spain in the past, highlighting ongoing issues of racism in football.

In response to the situation, the referee employed FIFA's anti-racism protocol by placing his hands in front of his face, indicating the serious nature of the allegation and the protocol's implementation. This intervention underlines the growing awareness and zero-tolerance stance against racism not only in football but in sports at large, signaling a crucial moment for the game to confront such abhorrent behavior.