Bayern Kompany coach defends Vinícius Júnior and harshly criticizes Mourinho in the racism case By Beatriz
4 min read
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The coach of Bayern of Munique, Vincent Kompany, publicly defended striker Vinícius Júnior after the accusation of racism in the game between The incident took place on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at Estádio of Luz, at Lisboa, when the Brazilian scored the winning goal for 1-0 and reported to the French referee Kompany commented on the episode in a press conference this Friday, February 20th, before the confrontation between Bayern and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Vinícius The player’s emotional reaction led to the match being stopped for around 10 minutes, with the immediate activation of the Uefa anti-racism protocol. Mbappé and Tchouaméni supported the Brazilian during the interruption, while heated discussions involved members of the two technical committees. The game was resumed and ended in victory for Real Madrid.
Uefa appointed an independent inspector to investigate possible discriminatory conduct. Real Madrid provided all available evidence and reinforced its commitment to the fight against racism. The CBF demanded rigor from international entities in investigating the facts.
Kompany’s firm support for Vinícius’s reaction
Kompany analyzed Vinícius Júnior’s attitude at the time of the complaint. The Belgian coach stated that the outrage seemed authentic and emotional, without any sign of staging. Ele highlighted that the Brazilian would gain nothing by inventing the situation, as this resulted in a yellow card for the celebration and negative exposure.
Bayern’s coach recalled that Vinícius took the risk of going to the referee amidst the confusion. Kompany, who has already suffered racism in his career, considered the action as a demonstration of the player’s courage.
Direct criticism of the statement of Mourinho
Kompany had harsh words for the coach of Benfica, José Mourinho, for his speeches after the match. Mourinho questioned Vinícius’s celebration and argued that the club could not be racist because it had Eusébio as its biggest idol. The Belgian classified this approach as an attack on the Brazilian’s character.
The coach questioned whether Mourinho actually knew about the difficulties faced by black players in the 1960s.
Kompany acknowledged Mourinho’s history in football, but remained critical of the conduct adopted. Ele considered the episode a serious failure of leadership at a sensitive time.
Details of the incident at Estádio of Luz
Vinícius Júnior’s goal came in the second half and defined the score of the first leg. The celebration near the flag angered Benfica players and fans, starting a riot on the pitch. Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt as he approached the Brazilian, a gesture interpreted as an attempt to hide the offensive words.
Mbappé confirmed having heard the racial insult directed at Vinícius. Prestianni denied the accusation in a statement on social media and alleged the opponent’s misinterpretation. Benfica released a statement defending the player and classifying the case as an attempt at defamation.
The Benfica fans booed Vinícius with every touch of the ball after the game resumed. Objetos were thrown towards the player, increasing tension in the stadium. The referee included the protocol report in the official match summary.
Kompany’s personal experience with discrimination
Vincent Kompany is one of the few black coaches in Europe’s top leagues. In 2021, when he was in charge of Anderlecht, he suffered racist insults from Brugge fans during a game. Dados recent results show that only four of the 96 clubs in the five big leagues had black coaches in November 2025.
The 39-year-old Belgian used his experience to reinforce the importance of combating racism in a concrete way. Ele avoided personal attacks on Mourinho, but insisted on the need for accountability in public statements.
- Kompany highlighted the low representation of black technicians at Europa.
- He mentioned his own episode of racism suffered in 2021.
- The coach defended effective actions against discrimination in football.
Repercussion and next steps in the investigation
Several players and former athletes have expressed solidarity with Vinícius Júnior since the incident. The support included criticism of Mourinho’s stance and praise for the Brazilian’s mental strength in dealing with constant pressure. The Uefa investigation could result in severe punishment if the accusations are confirmed.
Benfica opened an internal investigation to identify fans involved in discriminatory gestures captured in images. Real Madrid maintains full collaboration with the European entity. The expectation is that Uefa will release updates on the case in the coming days.
