Rio Ferdinand Defends Jose Mourinho Amid UEFA Racism Investigation
Rio Ferdinand has publicly defended Jose Mourinho against accusations of racism, following the Portuguese manager's controversial comments about Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. The incident occurred during the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 knockout play-off match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF on 17 February 2026.
Mourinho's Controversial Comments Spark Outrage
Jose Mourinho, 63, faced widespread criticism after suggesting that Vinicius Jr brought racial abuse upon himself through his goal celebration. The incident unfolded moments before Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni allegedly racially abused the Brazilian forward during the match at Estadio Da Luz.
In his post-match interview, when asked if Vinicius had antagonised the home fans prior to the exchange with Prestianni, Mourinho responded "yes." This prompted accusations from figures including Gary Lineker that the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager was gaslighting the Brazilian player.
Mourinho elaborated: "Yes. I believe so. It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal. Unfortunately [he was] not just happy to score that astonishing goal. When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way."
Ferdinand's Defense of Mourinho
Speaking on his YouTube show Rio Ferdinand Presents, the former Manchester United defender acknowledged that Mourinho had handled the situation poorly but insisted the manager is not racist.
"I think Jose, in time, will sit there and go, 'Maybe I approached that wrong.' And it doesn't make Jose Mourinho a racist by the way," Ferdinand stated. "I think Jose Mourinho has done enough for black footballers from all over the world, who look at him like a father figure, to suggest that the guy hasn't got a racist bone in his body."
Ferdinand continued: "I just think he approached this situation, unfortunately, wrong. I'd love to hear what his thoughts are on it now, actually, since all of it spilled over from those comments."
UEFA Takes Action Against Prestianni
Meanwhile, UEFA has taken decisive action against Gianluca Prestianni following the alleged racist incident. The Argentine player has been provisionally suspended for one UEFA club competition match while an investigation continues.
In an official statement, UEFA announced: "Following the appointment of a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to investigate allegations of discriminatory behaviour during the match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body today decided to provisionally suspend Mr. Gianluca Prestianni for the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible."
The statement emphasized that this provisional suspension is "without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation." Prestianni faces the possibility of a ten-match suspension if found guilty of racial abuse.
Prestianni Denies Racism Allegations
Gianluca Prestianni has taken to social media to deny the racism accusations, writing: "I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults at the player Vinicius Junior, who unfortunately misinterpreted what he thought he heard. I have never been racist and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players."
The incident occurred when Prestianni was seen putting his shirt over his mouth before uttering a comment to Vinicius, who immediately responded by running to referee Francois Letexier. This prompted the activation of UEFA's official anti-racism protocol.
The football world continues to debate the appropriate response to racism in the sport, with this high-profile case highlighting the complex dynamics between player behavior, managerial comments, and institutional responses to discrimination.
