Kylian Mbappe calls on Real Madrid teammate Vinicius Junior to ‘dance as much as you want’ after Jose Mourinho claims

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has hit out at Jose Mourinho’s comments after the incidents that marred Tuesday’s Champions League game with Benfica.

Vinicius Junior’s superbly-taken individual goal settled the first leg of the playoff tie staged at Estadio Da Luz.

However, an alleged racist comment made by Benfica attacker Gianluca Prestianni has dominated the aftermath of the game.

UEFA protocol was activated by the referee after Vinicius Junior claimed that Prestianni – when muttering under his shirt – used racial language towards him.

Prestianni and Benfica have since denied the accusationswhile Mourinho insinuated that Vinicius Junior should not have celebrated in the manner in which he did.

“No-one can tell us what to do”

Vinicius Junior danced in front of the corner flag and a section of Benfica supporters, something that led to him receiving a yellow card from the referee.

Mourinho was asked after the match whether he thought that the 25-year-old had incited the crowd:

He replied: “Yes. I believe so. It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal. Unfortunately (he was) not just happy to score that astonishing goal. When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way.

“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.

“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.”

In response, Mbappe has encouraged his teammate to continue to celebrate goals how he chooses to.

The Frenchman said: “Vini Jr should dance as much as he wants and never stop. “No one can tell us what should we do or not do”.

What next in Vinicius Junior, Prestianni controversy?

As well as the incident involving Vinicius Junior and Prestianni, Benfica supporters threw an array of objects onto the pitch when Vinicius Junior was taking corners in that area of the ground.

UEFA will inevitably open an investigation and decide how to handle both incidents, either individually or collectively.

With Prestianni having covered his mouth with his shirt, it is likely to be difficult to prove what was alleged to have said.

However, the incident – and how to punish proven racism – will remain a hot topic for debate, particularly when the second leg takes place at the Bernabeu on February 25.