Jose Mourinho accused of ‘gaslighting’ by Kick It Out over Vinicius allegationsBy Press Association Sport StaffJose Mourinho has been accused of “gaslighting” by anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out following his response to Vinicius Junior’s allegations of racist abuse. Benfica boss Mourinho has been heavily criticised for suggesting Vinicius had provoked the alleged abuse – which Prestianni denies – with his celebration after scoring the only goal early in the second half. Mourinho said to Amazon Prime: “I told him, when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back. “Focusing on Vinicius Jr’s goal celebration or the history of the club, instead of acknowledging the report, is a form of gaslighting. A plastic bottle filled with water is thrown from the stands towards Vinicius (Pedro Rocha/AP) Photo by Pedro Rocha“But they have protection from others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish.

Source: Irish Independent February 19, 2026 18:47 UTC