José Mourinho once again mentioned in the Prestianni - Vinicius saga
Prestianni – Vinicius affair: Mourinho reignites the controversy
The day before the UEFA Champions League play-off second leg between Real Madrid and Benfica is shaping up to be particularly turbulent for José Mourinho. The Portuguese manager finds himself at the heart of a fierce controversy following his comments about Vinícius Júnior after the first leg—remarks that have sparked widespread reaction throughout the football world.
Speaking to the media, Mourinho said:
"I spoke with Prestianni and Vinicius—one tells me one thing, the other tells me something else. I don’t want to say I believe everything Prestianni says 100%, but I can’t say what Vinicius told me is the absolute truth either."
He then added:
"It was a great match right to the end, against a big Real Madrid side. Vinicius scored a superb goal that only he or Mbappé could pull off."
In this charged atmosphere, the Portuguese tactician ultimately opted not to appear before the press ahead of the clash—a decision made internally to avoid further controversy. While the affair involving Gianluca Prestianni continues to fuel debate, the Santiago Bernabéu is bracing itself for a night of high tension.