Real Madrid's Courtois disappointed with Mourinho's criticism of Vinícius after racism claim

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was disappointed with José Mourinho’s criticism of teammate Vinícius Júnior, who accused Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni of racism.

Courtois spoke on Tuesday, a day before Madrid hosted Benfica in their Champions League playoffs second leg. Madrid's 1-0 win in Lisbon last week was overshadowed by Vinícius' allegation that Prestianni called him “monkey” after the Brazil forward scored and celebrated by the Benfica corner flag.

Prestianni denied racially insulting Vinícius while confronting him with his shirt over his mouth but was provisionally suspended for one match by UEFA and will not play Wednesday's game at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. He and Mourinho, who is also suspended after being sent off late in the game for referee dissent, still travelled to Madrid.

Spanish media said someone yelled “racist” at Prestianni as the team arrived at its hotel.

Mourinho, a former Madrid coach, said Vinícius shouldn't have provoked Benfica fans by dancing in front of the Benfica flag to celebrate his second-half winner. The coach suggested something always happens in stadiums where Vinícius plays.

Courtois said it wasn't right to use Vinícius' celebration to justify the alleged act of racism.

“Mourinho is Mourinho, and as a coach he will defend his club and what his player told him,” Courtois said. “The only thing that disappoints me is that he used Viní's celebration. He didn't do anything wrong. He celebrated like many of our rivals have, because when they score on us, the euphoria is double or triple. But it’s over, we have to move on.”

Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany was among those who also criticized Mourinho for attacking Vinícius after last week’s match.

Mourinho did not speak in Benfica's news conference at the Bernabeu on Tuesday. Assistant coach João Tralhão and midfielder Fredrik Aursnes answered questions from the media but did not want to directly comment on the case related to Prestianni and Vinícius.

“Generally, I would say there should not be any room for racism anywhere," Aursnes said. "And if anybody treats anyone differently because they look different or have another skin color, it's totally unacceptable.”

Benfica has defended Prestianni, saying the Argentine player was the victim of a “defamation campaign.” It lamented that he was provisionally suspended by UEFA while an investigation remained open.

Madrid was fully behind Vinícius and coach Álvaro Arbeloa said on Tuesday that UEFA had a chance to do more against racism.

“We are facing a great opportunity to make a significant step forward in the fight against racism,” he said. "UEFA has always been a strong advocate in the fight against racism, and now they have the opportunity not to leave it as just a slogan or a nice banner before matches. I hope they seize this opportunity.”

Arbeloa added Vinícius, who has five goals in his last four matches, was “very motivated” for Wednesday's match.

“Vini has always shown great courage and character,” Arbeloa said. "I don't know how anyone else in his situation would react. He has always done so bravely, showing tremendous personality. That has always been his response and it always will be because he is a fighter. Tomorrow he will come out to fight and play a great match, showing that he is one of the best players on the planet.”

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior argues with Benfica's head coach José Mourinho after scoring the opening goal during a Champions League playoff soccer match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)

Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni fights for the ball against Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior during a Champions League playoff soccer match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are betting that Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s affordability-focused message, which helped her flip a Republican-held office last November, will resonate with the country when she delivers their party’s response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night.

The rebuttal gives Democrats a prime opportunity to make their case against Trump and his policies ahead of the midterm elections. Spanberger’s double-digit victory in Virginia last November was viewed by party leaders as validation of a disciplined message centered on lowering costs — one they now want to elevate in campaigns nationwide.

“Virginians and Americans across the country are contending with rising costs, chaos in their communities, and a real fear of what each day might bring,” Spanberger said in a statement. "I look forward to laying out what these Americans expect and deserve — leaders who are working hard to deliver for them.”

Spanberger will deliver the speech from Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum with restored 18th-century buildings, drawing on the site’s role at the heart of Virginia’s early opposition to British rule and connecting that legacy to the current political moment, according to her team.

She will have will have far less time than the Republican president to deliver her rebuttal. Trump’s speech before Congress last year stretched to an hour and 40 minutes, while Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin’s Democratic response lasted just over 10 minutes. Spanberger’s speech will be the fifth consecutive response to a president’s address to Congress delivered by a female senator or governor.

Trump on Monday told reporters that his State of the Union is “going to be a long speech, because we have so much to talk about.”

As viewership tends to drop the later the speech runs, the response has become one of the more perilous assignments in politics. Now–Secretary of State Marco Rubio was widely mocked for reaching for a water bottle during the GOP response in 2013. Other rebuttals have quickly faded from memory.

Even with the time disadvantage, Democrats argue the political winds are shifting in their favor. Spanberger’s win in Virginia was followed by other high-profile Democratic victories, including a special election earlier this month in Texas, where a Democrat flipped a reliably Republican state Senate district that Trump carried by 17 percentage points in 2024.

Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California will deliver the party’s Spanish language response. Padilla, who in June was forcefully removed from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s news conference in Los Angeles as he tried to speak up about immigration raids, said in a statement that there is a better path than the one Trump has offered: “one that lowers costs, safeguards our democracy, and reins in rogue federal agencies.”

Some Democrats are choosing to make their point by skipping Trump’s address. Counterprogramming events are planned, including a “State of the Swamp” featuring Democratic lawmakers alongside state and local leaders and celebrities.

FILE - Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers her State of the Commonwealth address before a joint session of the Virignia General Assembly at the Capitol, Jan. 19, 2026, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)