Statement about Vinicius causes Mourinho to face severe criticism

Jose Mourinho encountered strong criticism following his remarks about Vinicius, as John Obi Mikel believed he made a mistake and ought to apologize publicly soon amid the backlash.

Jose Mourinho is currently under heavy criticism following controversial statements related to Vinicius Junior during the Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid.

The tension peaked after Vinicius scored and celebrated in front of the home fans. The match was then paused for 10 minutes as the Brazilian player complained to the referee about racist behavior. Gianluca Prestianni was accused of making offensive remarks, although he denied it and claimed he only used a homophobic slur. UEFA has suspended Prestianni for one match during the investigation, and the young player faces the possibility of a harsher penalty.

After the game, Mourinho defended his player and stated that Vinicius’s celebration was disrespectful, emphasizing that Benfica is not a club known for racism. He also declared: “Something always happens at every stadium where Vinicius plays.”

These comments sparked strong public backlash. Former midfielder John Obi Mikel, who worked with Mourinho at Chelsea, straightforwardly said the former coach “misspoke” and made a major error. On his personal podcast, Mikel said Mourinho should have waited for the investigation’s conclusion and affirmed that football has no place for racism, instead of blaming Vinicius’s celebration.

Mikel believes Mourinho is intelligent enough to recognize his error and should quickly issue a public apology. According to the former Nigerian international, everyone who has worked with Mourinho knows he does not tolerate racism, but his post-match comments were “a serious mistake.”

Currently, Mourinho refuses to comment further and will not attend the pre-match press conference for the second leg in Madrid due to a coaching ban. Meanwhile, Prestianni’s future remains uncertain, with the possibility of a lengthy suspension if found guilty of racist behavior.