Vinicius Junior delivered the decisive moment as Real Madrid beat Benfica 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off at the Estadio da Luz,
on a night dominated by tension, a 10-minute stoppage linked to alleged racist abuse, and the late dismissal of Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho.
The match turned on Vinicius’ superb 50th-minute strike and the chaotic scenes that followed. The Brazilian forward appeared furious after an incident with Gianluca Prestianni, briefly sat in the dugout as if unwilling to continue, then returned to complete the game, which finished amid high emotions on both benches and in the stands.
Beyond the disorder, Vinicius added another milestone to Real Madrid’s Champions League story. The curling finish was Vinicius’ 31st goal in the competition, moving past Kaka’s tally of 30. Among Brazilian players, only Neymar, with 43 goals, has scored more. Madrid also led the numbers, recording 16 shots to Benfica’s 10 and an xG advantage of 1.11 to 0.41.
Real Madrid did not impose control immediately, and Benfica looked competitive during the opening stages. Gradually, the visitors created the clearer chances before half-time. Vinicius fired wide on the turn, then produced a backheel that released Kylian Mbappe, who failed to connect cleanly after earlier missing Trent Alexander-Arnold’s dangerous cross. Mbappe also saw a left-footed effort blocked by Anatoliy Trubin.
The Benfica goalkeeper was kept busy as the first period closed. Arda Guler drove a powerful shot towards the right corner, only for Trubin to stretch and touch it around the post, keeping the score goalless at the interval. Those saves gave Benfica hope, yet they failed to limit Madrid’s main attacking threats for long after the restart.
Soon after half-time, Madrid finally broke through with style. Vinicius collected the ball near the left edge of the area, stepped inside Amar Dedic and curled a precise shot beyond Trubin from close to the corner of the box. Later, another fierce Vinicius attempt forced Trubin into a strong parry as Madrid controlled territory and tempo.
However, celebrations were short-lived due to the controversy that followed the goal. Vinicius quickly approached referee Francois Letexier after an exchange with Prestianni, and officials halted play in line with UEFA’s procedure when allegations of racist abuse are raised. The pause lasted around 10 minutes, with players and staff gathered near the benches while discussions continued.
pic.twitter.com/2TEmUxWlh4Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden) February 17, 2026
The tension continued deep into stoppage time, which extended to 13 minutes. While preparing to take a corner, Vinicius was hit by a bottle thrown from the stands, further souring the atmosphere. Despite those incidents, Madrid maintained defensive control, restricting Benfica to few clear chances as the hosts chased an equaliser without success.
Real Madrid Vinicius Champions League tie context and touchline drama
Frustration on the Benfica bench peaked in the closing stages. Mourinho received two yellow cards within seconds for dissent and was ordered to the stands with five minutes remaining. The dismissal underlined how bad-tempered the play-off first leg had become, with repeated protests towards officials and heated exchanges near the technical areas.
When the final whistle arrived, Madrid held a narrow but valuable 1-0 advantage to take into the second leg. Vinicius’ goal provided both the winning margin and a significant personal landmark, while the statistics underlined Madrid’s superiority. The night will also be remembered for the stoppages, crowd incidents and Mourinho’s red card that framed the contest.
