Why does Vinicius Junior have the right to dance in the face of racists?

Real Madrid are through to the next round of the Champions League but, once again, the biggest talking point was not the football.

A 2-1 win over Benfica at the Santiago Bernabeu sealed a 3-1 aggregate victory. Arbeloa’s side had already done the hard work in Lisbon with a 1-0 win at the Estadio da Luz, and they finished the job at home with authority.

But a cloud hung over the game as one of the sport's most serious and pervasive issues once again came to a head in the two-legged fixture - and one that the footballing powers need to address quickly.

Vinicius Junior had found himself at the centre of controversy after allegations that Benfica’s Argentine player Prestianni racially abused him during the first leg in Lisbon. UEFA reportedly asked Prestianni to sit out the return leg as part of the ongoing investigation. Kylian Mbappe was said to be a witness to what happened that night.

All of it began with a goal and a celebration. Vinicius scored in Lisbon and celebrated with a dance near the corner flag. It was a moment of joy, something we see every week across stadiums around the world. Yet for some, even his dance was labelled as provocation. That argument simply does not stand.

Even respected voices in football must be careful with their words. Jose Mourinho, who was red carded and therefore not present in the dugout during the return leg, had earlier suggested that such celebrations can inflame situations and we need to probe why it happens only with Vini. However, even if someone feels provoked, that can never justify any alleged racism. There is no excuse for it.

No one, under any circumstance, has the right to racially abuse another human being. Not in football. Not in life. A player celebrating a goal is part of the game. Many players dance. Many players express themselves. Vinicius should not be treated differently because of his skin colour.

Football reflects society, and society still has deep issues to address. Racism is one of them.

Back at the Bernabeu, Vinicius let his football do the talking again.

He was relatively quiet for large parts of the second half as Benfica pushed forward in search of hope. Then one chance came his way, it wasn't a clear chance buts still he finished it with precision and composure. Another big goal on another big night. Vini has been doing it in the Real Madrid colours consistently for years now.

This time, Mbappe was not there on the pitch to witness his celebration, as the French forward was sidelined with injury.

And what did he do after scoring?

He went back to the corner flag and danced again.

This time, there was no abuse. Only cheers from the Bernabeu. Only teammates celebrating with him. It was defiance through joy. It was a message without words.

Vinicius should keep dancing. He should keep celebrating. He should keep smiling in the face of those who try to bring him down. The answer to hatred cannot be silence.

Sadly, for Vinicius, this is not something new. He has faced racist abuse multiple times in Spain over the past few seasons. From opposition fans chanting at him to incidents that led to official investigations and stadium bans, he has repeatedly been targeted. Each time, he has spoken up. Each time, he has continued to respond on the pitch.

Football is meant to be the most inclusive sport in the world. It brings together people of different colours, religions, languages and cultures. It crushes the borders. That is what makes it powerful. That is what makes it beautiful.

It is painful that racism still finds space in such a global game. But change will only come through education, accountability and collective responsibility.

Let us hope the game keeps moving forward. Let us hope humanity prevails.