Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has criticised José Mourinho for what he described as a “huge mistake” in leadership after the veteran coach questioned the character of Vinícius Júnior following an alleged racist incident.
The controversy stems from a Champions League play-off clash in which Real Madrid defeated Benfica 1–0 in Lisbon. After scoring the winning goal, Vinícius claimed he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni, alleging he was called a “monkey” during a confrontation.
Mourinho suggested Vinícius’ exuberant celebrations provoked reactions from opponents and fans, adding that the Brazilian should “celebrate in a respectful way” and questioning why incidents seem to follow him in different stadiums.
Speaking on Friday, Kompany strongly rejected that stance.
“So after the game you have the leader of an organisation, José Mourinho, who attacks the character of Vinícius Júnior by bringing in the type of celebration to discredit what Vinícius is doing in this moment,” Kompany said.
“For me, in terms of leadership, it’s a huge mistake and it’s something that we should not accept.”
European football’s governing body, UEFA, has appointed a special investigator to gather evidence into the alleged incident. Real Madrid confirmed it has submitted all available material to assist the probe. No sanctions have been issued at this stage.
Kompany also pointed to Mourinho’s own history of passionate touchline and goal celebrations, recalling famous moments from his managerial career. While stressing his respect for Mourinho and acknowledging that many former players “love him,” Kompany maintained the comments were wrong.
“I don’t need to judge him as a person, but I know what I’ve heard. He’s made a mistake and it’s something that hopefully in the future won’t happen like this again,” Kompany said.
Prestianni has denied racially insulting Vinícius, while Benfica have described the accusations against their player as a “defamation campaign.”
