Rio Ferdinand labels Jose Mourinho 'father figure' for black players as he defends Benfica boss over Vinicius Jr racism storm

The Brazilian international accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of calling him a 'monkey' during a heated Champions League play-off clash last week, but Mourinho's subsequent reaction sparked a wave of condemnation from fans and pundits alike.

The veteran Portuguese coach suggested that Vinicius had partially incited the home crowd with his exuberant celebrations after scoring the match-winning goal. When pressed on whether the forward was responsible for the hostile atmosphere, Mourinho said "yes, I believe so," a comment that led some observers to accuse the former Manchester United boss of blaming a victim of racial abuse. However, Ferdinand believes the 63-year-old's track record proves he is not a racist.

Speaking on his podcast, Rio Ferdinand Presents, the former England captain acknowledged that while the delivery was flawed, the manager's character should not be questioned. "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 explained. He continued to praise the manager's relationship with various players he has mentored throughout his decorated career across Europe's top 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. 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," Ferdinand added, expressing a desire for more clarity from the Benfica chief.

The row stems from Mourinho's initial post-match assessment where he defended his club's culture by referencing the legendary Eusebio. "When you score a goal like that, you celebrate in a respectful way," Mourinho said post-match. When asked if he believed Vinicius had incited the crowd, Mourinho replied "Yeah, I believe so. The words they exchange, Prestianni with Vinicius, I want to be independent. I don't comment about it. When he was arguing about racism I told him the biggest person in the history of this club was black [Eusebio]. This club, the last thing it is is racist, so if in his mind it was something in relation to that, this is Benfica. There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. Every stadium that Vinicius plays [in] something happens. Always."

In the wake of the incident, UEFA has taken swift action by handing Prestianni a provisional one-match ban, which sees him sidelined for the second leg in Madrid. Benfica have expressed regret over the decision and confirmed they will appeal the sanction. A club statement read: "Benfica also reaffirms its unwavering commitment to combating all forms of racism or discrimination, values that are part of its historical identity and are reflected in its daily actions, its global community, the work of the Benfica Foundation, and major figures in the Club's history, such as Eusebio."

As tensions remain high, Mourinho has opted for a period of silence. Due to a touchline ban picked up during the first leg, the manager is not contractually obligated to perform media duties under UEFA rules. He has chosen to skip the pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday's showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu, leaving his assistant, Joao Tralhao, to face the inevitable questions regarding the racism investigation and the team's preparations.

The allegations against Prestianni are grave, with Kylian Mbappe reportedly claiming his team-mate was abused multiple times. While Prestianni has denied using racial slurs, he has reportedly admitted to using other offensive language. In a post on social media, the Argentine stated: "I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults at the player Vinicius Junior, who unfortunately misinterpreted what he thinks he heard. I have never been racist and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players."