UCL: He messed up – Mikel Obi slams Mourinho over Vinicius racist incident
John Mikel Obi Criticizes Mourinho’s Comments on Vinicius Jr. Incident
Former Super Eagles captain John Mikel Obi has publicly criticized Roma manager José Mourinho for his recent comments regarding the racism allegations involving Vinicius Jr. The incident occurred during last week’s Champions League play-off first leg, where Vinicius Jr. accused Gianluca Prestianni of making a racist remark.
Following the match, Mourinho suggested that Vinicius Jr. provoked fans with his goal celebrations. He referenced the late Eusebio, a revered figure in Benfica’s history, to assert that the club is not racist.
Mikel Obi, who played under Mourinho during two stints at Chelsea, expressed his disappointment during a recent episode of the Obi One Podcast. He expected a more responsible response, saying, “What I expected to hear from my old boss was, ‘Yes, it is under investigation, but there is no place for racism, and we must wait for the conclusion.’”
He added, “For him to say, ‘Vinicius Jr. shouldn’t have celebrated the way he did,’ was a clumsy comment from José Mourinho. He knows he messed up here.”
The former midfielder’s remarks highlight the complexity and sensitivity surrounding discussions of racism in sports, underscoring the importance of addressing such issues with care.
