Wednesday’s briefing: Vinicius Junior walks off field after alleged racist abuse

Vinicius Junior walked off the field after allegedly being racially abused by a Benfica player during Real Madrid’s Champions League win in Lisbon.

Tottenham’s new interim head coach Igor Tudor says there is “no time to find excuses” as he bids to halt the club’s Premier League slide.

New Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira is not afraid of getting the sack despite taking on the poisoned chalice of the City Ground job.

Vinicius says ‘racists are cowards’

Vinicius Junior said “racists are cowards” after the Brazil forward was allegedly abused during Real Madrid’s Champions League win over Benfica.

The 25-year-old left the field in Lisbon after reporting a member of the Benfica team to the referee, before returning as the game resumed following a 10-minute delay.

It came after the Brazilian had given his team the lead with a wonderful individual strike five minutes into the second half and celebrating in front of the home fans.

Jose Mourinho was criticised by Amazon Prime pundit Clarence Seedorf after the Benfica boss appeared to suggest Vinicius had provoked the abuse in his post-match interview, while Trent Alexander-Arnold called the incident “a disgrace to football”.

After the game, Vinicius posted in Portuguese on his Instagram story: “Racists are, above all, cowards.”

He added: “Nothing that happened today is new in my life and my family’s. I don’t like to appear in situations like this, even more so after a great victory and when the headlines have to be about Real Madrid, but it’s necessary.”

In a statement on Instagram, Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni said he had not directed racist insults at Vinicius who he said had “regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard”.

No time for Spurs excuses

Tottenham’s new interim head coach Igor Tudor says there is “no time to find excuses” as he bids to halt the club’s Premier League slide.

And the 47-year-old former Juventus boss, brought in last week as the sacked Thomas Frank’s replacement until the end of the season, believes instilling the players with confidence is his most important task.

Tudor told Spursplay: “First priority is to give everything the team needs in these moments. The team need, I believe, first of all, to get some confidence, to get some courage, but also, in same way, the concrete things in the pitch.

“Of course, I’m coming here knowing that situation is not easy. There is no time to find excuses. What I said from the first day here, each of us, need to give something something more, something extra.”

Pereira not afraid of Forest sack

New Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira is not afraid of getting the sack despite taking on the poisoned chalice of the City Ground job.

The 57-year-old Portuguese has become fourth head coach of the season after Sean Dyche followed Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou out of the door last week, as club owner Evangelos Marinakis acted in a bid to avoid Premier League relegation.

Pereira has worked with the combustible Greek businessman before – guiding Olympiacos to a league and club double over a decade ago – so knows how things work.

“The owner is not afraid to make decisions, even if it means making a change,” the former Wolves boss said at his unveiling press conference on Tuesday. “This is his personality, and he wants results. If you’re looking for security, you cannot be a manager!”

What’s on today?

Arsenal will look to get their Premier League title challenge back on track when they visit bottom side Wolves.

Newcastle make the long trip to Azerbaijan to play Qarabag in the Champions League play-off round.

Holders Aberdeen host Motherwell in the Scottish Cup fifth round.