Rio Ferdinand has come to the defence of Jose Mourinho following widespread criticism of how the Benfica manager responded to racism allegations involving Vinicius Jr during last week’s Champions League clash.
The former Manchester United defender conceded that Mourinho’s handling of the situation was misguided, but firmly rejected any suggestion that the Portuguese coach harbours racist views.
Speaking on his YouTube programme Rio Ferdinand Presents, the ex-England captain stated: “I think Jose, in time, will sit there and go, ‘Maybe I approached that wrong.’ And it doesn’t make Jose Mourinho a racist by the way.”
Ferdinand expressed hope that Mourinho would offer further reflection on the matter following the backlash his initial remarks generated.
Jose Mourinho came under fire after his comments following racism allegations last week
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Ferdinand went further in his praise of Mourinho’s character, highlighting the manager’s longstanding relationships with players throughout his career across Europe’s elite leagues.
“I think Jose Mourinho has done enough for black footballers from all over the world, who look at him like a father figure, to suggest that the guy hasn’t got a racist bone in his body,” Ferdinand explained.
The 63-year-old has managed some of the continent’s biggest clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid, where he worked with numerous black players during his trophy-laden tenure.
Ferdinand added: “I just think he approached this situation, unfortunately, wrong. I’d love to hear what his thoughts are on it now, actually, since all of it spilled over from those comments.”
The controversy erupted during Benfica’s 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid on 17 February, when Prestianni was observed placing his shirt over his mouth before directing a comment towards Vinicius.
The Brazilian forward immediately alerted referee Francois Letexier, triggering UEFA’s official anti-racism protocol.
Jose Mourinho was also sent off during the Benfica clash against Real Madrid, meaning he will not be in the dugout for the second leg
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Vinicius had moments earlier scored a spectacular winning goal and celebrated with a dance near the corner flag, which provoked an angry response from home supporters.
In his post-match press conference, Mourinho was asked whether Vinicius had incited the crowd. He replied: “Yes. I believe so. When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way.”
These remarks prompted sharp criticism, with Gary Lineker among those accusing the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss of gaslighting the Brazilian star.
Rio Ferdinand defended Jose Mourinho, who received criticism from the likes of Gary Lineker
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UEFA has since taken action against Prestianni, imposing a provisional one-match suspension that rules him out of Wednesday’s second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The governing body appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to examine allegations of discriminatory conduct, with the ban issued for a prima facie breach of Article 14 of UEFA’s Disciplinary Regulations.
Prestianni faces the possibility of a ten-match suspension but has denied using racist language. On social media, the Argentine wrote: “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults at the player Vinicius Junior, who unfortunately misinterpreted what he thought he heard.”
Mourinho, meanwhile, has opted to avoid media duties ahead of the return fixture, leaving assistant Joao Tralhao to field questions about the ongoing investigation.
