
Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior enacted sweet revenge over Benfica on Wednesday night, becoming the first player in Champions League history to score in both legs of a knockout tie against a José Mourinho side.
An ugly cloud hovered over the knockout phase playoff tie after Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni allegedly called Vinicius Jr a “monkey” in Lisbon. Suddenly the conversation of the first leg shifted from the Brazilian’s brilliant match-winner to something far more shameful, made worse by Mourinho insinuating the No. 7 incited the abuse simply by celebrating his golazo.