Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has come to the defence of Jose Mourinho following criticism of the Portuguese coach’s comments on the alleged racial abuse involving Vinicius Junior.
The controversy arose after Mourinho declined to publicly back either Vinicius or Gianluca Prestianni following the incident that overshadowed last week’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 play-off first-leg clash between Benfica and Real Madrid.
Instead, Mourinho suggested that Vinicius may have provoked the reaction from supporters by celebrating in front of the Benfica crowd after scoring the match’s only goal — a stance that drew backlash from sections of the football community.
Speaking on his podcast, Rio Ferdinand Presents, Ferdinand said while Mourinho may reflect and admit he handled the matter poorly, that does not make him racist.
“I think Jose, in time, will sit there and go, ‘Maybe I approached that wrong.’ And it doesn’t make Jose Mourinho a racist by the way,” Ferdinand said.
The former England international added that Mourinho’s history of working with and supporting black players across his managerial career should be considered.
“I think Jose Mourinho has done enough for black footballers from all over the world, who look at him like a father figure, and that is to suggest that the guy hasn’t got a racist bone in his body,” he added.
