Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg has issued a grovelling apology for his comments on the Vinicius Jr racism storm, claiming his words were 'clumsy'. During the delay, Clattenburg said: "As a referee, I have had this situation before when players have reported a racial comment on the field of play. Clattenburg has now apologised for the way he handled the incident, the statement on his social media channels reads: "Nothing justifies racism in sport or in life. The incident at the Estadio da Luz has triggered a UEFA investigation, with Prestianni's comments set to be put under the microscope. Asked if Vinicius had incited the incident with his celebration in front of the home fans, the Portuguese coach said: "Yeah, I believe so.

Source: Express February 18, 2026 22:34 UTC