Jose Mourinho is facing serious heat from one of his former players. John Obi Mikel didn't hold back when criticizing his old boss over comments about the Vinicius Jr racism incident.
The drama started when Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni was accused of racist behavior toward Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during their Champions League clash. Prestianni denied everything, but UEFA still handed him a provisional one-match ban while they investigate. He'll miss the second leg no matter what.
Here's where Mourinho messed up, according to Mikel. The Benfica manager defended his club by pointing out that Eusebio, Benfica's greatest legend, was black. Mourinho also suggested Vinicius somehow attracts these incidents everywhere he plays.
Mikel Expected Better From His Old Boss
The Nigerian legend said Mourinho should have taken a clearer stance against racism. "What I expected to hear was 'Yes it is under investigation, but there is no place for racism," Mikel explained. Instead, Mourinho criticized how Vinicius celebrated.
Mikel called it a "clumsy, clumsy comment" and believes Mourinho knows he screwed up. "He is a smart, smart guy, he knows," Mikel said. The former Chelsea midfielder expects an apology is coming.
"There is nobody who has played with Jose Mourinho that has a bad word to say about him, especially when it comes to racism," Mikel added. He thinks emotions after the game got the better of his former manager.
Mourinho Stays Silent As Pressure Builds
Since the fallout, Mourinho reportedly banned all talk of Real Madrid within the Benfica squad. After a 3-0 weekend win over AVS, he refused to comment further. "I don't want to comment," he said simply.
The situation gets more complicated with Mourinho already suspended after receiving a red card last week. He won't be on the touchline for the crucial second leg against Real Madrid.
For bettors watching this Champions League tie, the drama adds another layer of uncertainty. Benfica will be without Prestianni and their manager on the sidelines. That could definitely impact their chances against Real Madrid in what's already a tough matchup.
Mikel made it clear this is a "massive, massive, huge mistake" from Mourinho. With pressure mounting from big names in football, everyone's waiting to see if the Special One will address his comments properly.
