Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois appeared at a press conference to discuss tomorrow's match against Benfica, in the second leg of the playoff qualifying for the Champions League round of 16, at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. It is worth noting that the first leg ended 1-0 in favor of the Royals.

The goalkeeper began his talk about Mourinho's comments on Vinicius after the first leg: "Well, in the end, Mourinho is Mourinho. And you, as a coach, will always defend your club and what your player told you. The only thing... what saddens me a little is the use of Vinicius's celebration. Because he did nothing wrong. He celebrated just as many of our opponents do against us. When you score a goal against Real Madrid, the joy of many teams is doubled. It's over, and we have to turn the page. But we cannot justify an act suspected of being racist with a celebration."

He added: "Having the fans with us and their support throughout the match, and starting strong. The current score is misleading because if they score an early goal... we need to stay focused and maintain the right morale."

He continued: "Brestiani? We are at a critical moment in football to put an end to these matters. We know what Vinicius told us... and this is something that has been repeated on many occasions. We have to put an end to it. UEFA is the one to decide..."

Regarding the statements of Benfica's president: "Using the Valverde incident... is irrelevant. He did not intend to hit any opponent. As for Prestianni... the matter is complicated, and it will always remain just talk. But we fully support Vinicius, who has faced a lot of criticism... and did not say anything of the sort. He only heard it. One hundred percent, he heard it repeatedly, and I completely believe him. Since he covered his mouth, we will never know the truth. Benfica will defend its player. But there is not much we can do: it is up to UEFA and the institutions."

He added: "Will Breestiani not be greeted with a handshake if he participates? This is something we players haven't discussed. We'll see what we decide as a team."

He continued: "Did Bresciani say a swear word? It seems he did... and I think it's just as serious, these are homophobic insults. Just as what happened in the stands at Da Luz was extremely serious. Because you may like a player more or less, but doing that is disgraceful. I also don't know if they condemned him, or if they stated they would sue those who made the monkey gesture... but racism and homophobia are both unacceptable. And his insults are no less harsh. If he didn't cover his mouth... we can imagine what he would say then."

Regarding the penalty against Osasuna: "Goalkeepers are always prone to criticism in such situations. With the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology, the image freezes and slows down... Even though I touched him lightly, he placed his foot slightly under mine, but it wasn't a foul, and he complained about his leg. What the referee didn't consider was that the ball was moving away; it wasn't a goal-scoring opportunity. I was told it was awarded because I came off my line, but I wasn't in control of the ball. Anyway, this week saw uncalled fouls, and I believe if it were Alaba or Asensio instead of me, it wouldn't have been given; but because I'm a goalkeeper, it was. It was a false start, yes, but I didn't do it. He made a deliberate move to step on it because we stepped at the same moment, and he, taking advantage of the momentum, placed his foot slightly under mine. As a goalkeeper, I say it wasn't a penalty; but the striker will say it was. I think VAR should consider other factors, like who played the ball or... where was it going? But that's my perspective."

He stated: "Are the anti-racism rules sufficient? They are constantly improving. Ultimately, the issue is that Vinicius is the one who decides at that moment whether we will continue playing or not; because if he refuses, we will consider withdrawing. Then, the UEFA official will have to determine the fate of the match. What happens in the stands calls for stopping the match and removing those individuals. But of course, it's not normal for the player to see what's happening in the stands; this is the responsibility of the referee. Authorities must be called. As a society, we must stop this complacency."

He concluded: "What do you think about the possibility of punishing those who cover their mouths? It's difficult because sometimes you want to say something to your teammate without being overheard... But if the goal is to stop insults, then it's fine. In many sports, players wear microphones, as do the referees themselves, and everything is heard. However, if the goal is to end racism, I have no problem with that..."