Jose Mourinho’s Bernabeu homecoming upended by suspension, racism row

MADRID – Jose Mourinho has not set foot in the Santiago Bernabeu since leaving Real Madrid in 2013, but his Champions League homecoming with Benfica will be far more complicated than initially anticipated.

He cannot sit in the dugout for the knockout play-off, second leg on Feb 25 after being sent off during his team’s 1-0 first-leg defeat in Lisbon last week.

The 63-year-old also came under fire for his controversial comments in the aftermath of alleged racial abuse aimed at Real star Vinicius Jr by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni. The Argentinian will miss the second leg after UEFA provisionally suspended him for one game amid an investigation into the incident.

Mourinho, who won La Liga and the Copa del Rey with Real during three years at the helm, made a big impact on the Spanish giants during a period of bitter rivalry with Barcelona and a dressing room divided for and against him.

Real president Florentino Perez is known to be a big fan of the Portuguese coach and rumours persist that Mourinho could be hired next season to replace Alvaro Arbeloa, if the current campaign ends badly.

The Spaniard, one of Mourinho’s disciples during his spell at the helm of the 15-time European champions, faces his biggest test yet since replacing Xabi Alonso in January as Benfica visit the Spanish capital.

But he will not come face to face with Mourinho, who was dismissed in the first leg for vociferous complaints from the touchline. He said that referee Francois Letexier was avoiding booking Real players who were at risk of suspension for the second leg.

“I’ve had my butt on the bench for 1,400 games and (I could see that) he knew perfectly well who he could book and who he couldn’t,” complained Mourinho bitterly.

“I (won’t be) sitting on the bench, I can’t go to the dressing room, I can’t communicate with the team,” he added of the second leg. “It’s hard for me, but my teammates and my assistants are there – they’ll do their job.”

The first leg was tarnished by Prestianni’s alleged racial slur aimed at Vinicius.

UEFA’s decision to suspend the Benfica player for one game has eased some tension ahead of the second leg, and he could miss at least 10 if European football’s governing body finds he racially abused the Brazilian.

Vinicius wrote that “racists are above all cowards”, on social media after the game, while Real striker Kylian Mbappe backed his teammate and said he had heard Prestianni calling the winger a monkey.

The 20-year-old Prestianni insists he did not racially abuse Vinicius while covering his mouth with his shirt, after the Brazilian’s stunning goal which split the sides at the Estadio da Luz.

Mourinho said that he had spoken to both players and they had given him different versions of events.

Then, the Portuguese coach said Vinicius’ goal celebration was disrespectful and said Benfica were not a racist club because their biggest icon, Eusebio, was black.

Not everyone was convinced, however.

“He’s saying it’s okay, when Vinicius provokes you, to be racist – and I think that is very wrong,” former Netherlands midfielder Clarence Seedorf told Amazon Prime.

“We should never, ever justify racial abuse.”

Real defender Trent Alexander-Arnold said the incident, which led to the second half being paused for around 10 minutes, was a “disgrace to football”.

After the first-leg fiasco, the second leg will be played under its shadow as Real seek to avoid a humiliating early exit at the hands of Mourinho and qualify for the last 16.

Arbeloa, on his part, said that his team are “completely focused on the match” despite the distractions.

“(We will focus on) playing at a high level, putting on a great show. On winning. And that’s where we’re putting all our energy and effort. The rest is not our concern. It’s not up to us to make those decisions, it’s UEFA’s,” he said.

“The team will be very similar to the one in Lisbon. That’s what I want and desire. It will be a very special match, a great Champions League night at the Bernabeu. And with our sights set on advancing and winning.

“We have a lot at stake. People often say ‘this is a final’ and it’s going to be one. Whoever wins will advance.”

AFP, REUTERS