By Paul Joseph
Real Madrid have launched an investigation after a supporter allegedly performed a Nazi salute before the club’s UEFA Champions League win against Benfica on Wednesday.
Prior to kick-off at the Santiago Bernabeu, television cameras appeared to capture a fan making the fascist gesture as they panned around the 83,000-seater stadium.
Security staff swiftly identified the individual and ejected them from the ground moments later.
Real Madrid went on to beat the Portuguese side 2-1 in the second leg of their knockout round play-off tie, sealing a 3-1 aggregate victory to progress to the last 16 of the Champions League.
In a statement released after the match, the Spanish club confirmed it had referred the matter to its disciplinary committee.
“Real Madrid condemns this type of gesture and expression that incites violence and hatred in sports and society,” the statement read.
The club added it had asked its disciplinary committee “to initiate an immediate expulsion procedure” against the supporter involved.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions following allegations of racism during the first leg in Lisbon. Real forward Vinicius Junior claimed he was racially abused by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni during that match.
The 25-year-old Brazilian, who scored the only goal of the game in Portugal, informed the referee of the alleged abuse. The match was halted for 10 minutes after Vinicius and his Madrid team-mates briefly left the pitch in protest.
Prestianni was subsequently handed a provisional one-match ban and missed the return fixture in Madrid after UEFA rejected Benfica’s appeal. He could still face further sanctions pending the outcome of a full investigation by European football’s governing body.
Vinicius, who struck Madrid’s winner in the 80th minute on Wednesday night, received vocal backing from the home support. A banner reading “no to racism” in Spanish was displayed in the stands before kick-off.
Team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni said after the game that the victory was “for everyone who stands against racism.”
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