By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Benni McCarthy, who won the Champions League under Jose Mourinho at Porto in 2004, says his former coach should apologise for his comments after the alleged racial abuse of Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius Junior scored the only goal in Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Benfica in midweek in a game which was sadly overshadowed by the Brazil international being subjected to racial abuse after celebrating his goal, with a complaint being issued against Gianluca Prestianni.
Mourinho was asked about the incident post-match and claimed Vinicius Jr had been ‘disrespectful’ with his celebration.
“I told [Vinicius], when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back. When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club [Eusebio] was black,” Mourinho said on Tuesday night.
“This club, the last thing that it is, is racist. If in his mind there was something in relation to that, this is Benfica. They [Vinicius and Prestianni] told me different things. But I don’t believe in one or another. I want to be an independent.”
McCarthy shared his thoughts when he was questioned about the distressing scenes that took place midweek.
“The situation, he could have handled it better or chosen his words better but emotions got the best of him,” McCarthy told BBC World Service presenter Isaac Fanin.
“I know the statement he made was very wrong. But we’re all human, we all make mistakes.
“When it comes from somebody I know personally and I know how he feels about our continent and our people and the players that play for him, he’s the most stand-up guy that any African player will ever play for.
“I think it was an emotional decision, tough, where he maybe made a call and it wasn’t the right call which he will later, hopefully come out and say that he made a mistake because that’s what I would like to think, that’s the kind of man he is.”
Vinicius, who has been a victim of numerous incidents of racist abuse during his playing career, later said in a post on Instagram: “Racists are, above all, cowards.”