Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Rabat – Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has answered Jose Mourinho’s criticism of Vinicius Junior’s goal celebration in the Champions League playoff first leg against Benfica.
Asked in the press conference ahead of the Benfica match if Mourinho’s remarks disappointed him, Courtois argued that the supposed disrespect of a goal celebration cannot be a pretext to justify racism.
🚨 Courtois: “Mourinho is Mourinho, as a coach you’ll always defend your club and you’ll believe your player… but one thing disappoonted me”.
“Mourinho was using Vini’s celebration as an excuse. You can NOT justify racism over a celebration”. pic.twitter.com/jk7K1QzcLR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 24, 2026
“In the end, Mourinho is Mourinho. As a coach, you always defend your club and your player. What disappoints me a little is using Vinicius’s celebration. In this case, Vinícius did nothing wrong,” the goalkeeper said. “He celebrated like many opponents do against us. When someone scores against Real Madrid, the excitement is often double or tripled. That happened, and we should move on. But you cannot justify an alleged racist act with a celebration.”
Courtois also addressed comments from Benfica’s president, who linked the issue to Fede Valverde’s past incident: “That has nothing to do with this. Valverde had no intention to hit the opponent.”
In the case involving Gianluca Prestianni, who faces accusations of racist abuse, Courtois admitted the complexity of the situation. “It will always be one word against another. But we stand 100% with Vinícius. He has suffered a lot. He never said something like this; he heard it 100%,” Courtois explained. “He has heard it many times, and I believe him completely. Because he covered his mouth, we will never know. Benfica will defend their player, but it is up to UEFA.”
When asked if Madrid players would refuse to shake Prestianni’s hand if he plays, the goalkeeper replied: “That is something we have not discussed as players. We will see what we decide as a team.”
Courtois also spoke about the idea of punishing players who cover their mouths while speaking. “It is difficult. Sometimes players want to talk to teammates without being overheard,” he said. “But if it helps end insults, then welcome. In many sports, players or referees wear microphones, and everything is heard. If it helps stop racism, I have no problem at all.”
