London: Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa vowed "outraged" Vinicius Junior will receive the club's unwavering support after the forward reported alleged racial abuse in Tuesday's Champions League play-off tie against Benfica.
The Spanish club later singled out Gianluca Prestianni as the subject of the complaint, but the Benfica winger has denied the claims in apost on Instagram, while his club have argued their player was the subject of a "defamation campaign".
Arbeloa revealed he would have fully supported a full-team walk-offin the 1-0 victory had the Brazil international - who scored the 50th-minute winner - decided not to carry on, and called on UEFA toimpose sanctions.
"Vini Jr has been upset, as have we all," Arbeloa told a pressconference.
"Above all, he has been very outraged by what happened. It's a racistact that has no place in sports or our society. We have a tremendousopportunity not to let it pass and to continue fighting against thisscourge that is racism.
"What's really important is to combat acts like the one we witnessedthe other day. It's an intolerable situation that we don't want tosee happen again. We will stand against it, especially when itinvolves a fellow professional.
"It's an act that must not and should not happen. Nothing, absolutelynothing, justifies a racist act."
Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho has also come under heavy scrutinyfor his comments post-match, when he claimed "something happens,always" in matches where Vinicius plays.
Arbeloa said Vinicius was determined to remain in action after thealleged incident, but would have been supported either way.
He said: "If he had decided not to continue playing, we would haveall followed him off the field one by one. I told the players thatthere is no title or victory that makes me feel as proud as lastTuesday's.
"Nothing makes me prouder than seeing a united team, protecting ateam-mate, and fighting together like this."
Asked if he was afraid the incident would go unpunished, Arbeloaadded: "That's not for me to decide. It's neither my place nor myposition to determine how UEFA should react.
"However, I do think there should be a punishment and a sanctionbecause this must not happen again. We have an opportunity to createa before and after, which is the most important thing - that thismarks a turning point in the football world.
"From here, it's up to UEFA, but also up to us as a society when wereact to such an act. We know the passion football generates, butthere are things that are intolerable, and what we experienced lastTuesday is one of them."
Arbeloa's side will be looking to extend their winning streak inLaLiga to nine games when they travel to mid-table Osasuna onSaturday.
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