Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany has criticized Jos茅 Mourinho for attacking the character of Vin铆cius J煤nior after the Real Madrid star during a Champions League match.
Benfica coach Mourinho suggested that Brazil forward Vin铆cius had incited Benfica’s players with his celebrations after scoring the only goal in .
Vin铆cius accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of calling him 鈥渕onkey鈥� during a confrontation after his goal.
Mourinho also questioned why Vin铆cius, who is Black and has been subjected to repeated racist insults in Spain, was so frequently targeted.
鈥淭here is something wrong because it happens in every stadium,鈥� Mourinho said. 鈥淭he stadium where Vin铆cius played something happened. Always.鈥�
Speaking on Friday, Kompany condemned Mourinho’s comments.
鈥淪o after the game you have the leader of an organization, Jos茅 Mourinho, who attacks the character of Vin铆cius J煤nior by bringing in the type of celebration to discredit what Vin铆cius is doing in this moment,鈥� Kompany said. 鈥淎nd for me in terms of leadership, it鈥檚 a huge mistake and it鈥檚 something that we should not accept.鈥�
Mourinho鈥檚 celebrations
UEFA appointed a special investigator on Wednesday to gather evidence about what happened in Lisbon in Madrid鈥檚 1-0 win in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs. Madrid said it had sent 鈥渁ll available evidence鈥� of the alleged incident to European soccer’s governing body.
Referring to Vin铆cius’ celebrations after curling a shot into the top corner, Mourinho said he should “celebrate in a respectful way.鈥�
Kompany pointed out Mourinho’s own history of exuberant celebrations 鈥� such as when he ran down the sideline to cheer when his Porto team beat Manchester United in the Champions League.
Kompany said Mourinho’s former players 鈥渓ove him鈥� and added 鈥淚 know he鈥檚 a good person.鈥�
鈥淚 don鈥檛 need to judge him as a person, but I know what I鈥檝e heard. I understand maybe what he鈥檚 done, but he鈥檚 made a mistake and it鈥檚 something that hopefully in the future won鈥檛 happen like this again,鈥� he said.
Prestianni denied racially insulting Vin铆cius. Benfica said the Argentine player was the victim of a 鈥渄efamation campaign.鈥�
鈥楻ight thing to do鈥�
Kompany said Vin铆cius’ reaction 鈥渃annot be faked.鈥�
鈥淵ou can see it 鈥� his reaction is an emotional reaction. I don鈥檛 see any benefit for him to go to the referee and put all this misery on his shoulders,鈥� he said. “There is absolutely no reason for Vini Junior to go and do this.
鈥淚 think in his mind he鈥檚 doing it more because it鈥檚 the right thing to do in that moment.鈥�
Kompany added: 鈥淵ou have a player who鈥檚 complaining. You have a player who says he didn鈥檛 do it. And I think unless the player himself comes forward, it鈥檚 difficult. It鈥檚 a difficult case.鈥�
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