UEFA suspends Prestianni from Benfica for alleged racism towards Vinicius Junior in a Champions League game By Janderson Luiz
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União Europeia of Futebol (UEFA) announced this Monday the provisional suspension of striker Gianluca Prestianni, of Benfica, for one match. The measure follows a complaint made by Vinicius Junior, from Real Madrid, who claimed to have suffered racial abuse during the first game of the round of 16 of Champions League, held last week at The 20-year-old Argentine will be left out of the return clash, scheduled for Wednesday at Santiago Bernabéu.
The incident happened in the second half of the match at Estádio of Luz. Vinicius Junior scored the goal that defined Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory and, during the celebration, was confronted by Prestianni. The Brazilian covered his face with his shirt as a sign of protest and informed the French referee Francois Letexier that he had been the victim of a racist insult. The anti-racism protocol was activated, and the game was suspended for around 10 minutes before resuming.
Vinicius Junior reported to the referee that Prestianni used a racial insult. The Real Madrid player initially refused to continue the match, which led to the intervention of teammates, the coaching staff and officials. Após conversations, the duel continued normally. Kylian Mbappé, Vinicius’ teammate at Real Madrid, confirmed having heard the offensive comment repeatedly and argued that the protocol needs to be more rigorous in similar cases.
Provisional suspension and ongoing investigation
UEFA appointed an ethics and discipline inspector shortly after the episode to investigate allegations of discriminatory behavior. Based on the initial report, the body decided to immediately suspend Prestianni, without prejudice to the final judgment. The punishment applies to the player’s next European game, which would be exactly the return match against Real Madrid.
UEFA’s disciplinary regulations provide for a minimum penalty of 10 matches in proven cases of racism. The current suspension is considered precautionary to prevent the player from participating while the process continues. The entity emphasized that the decision does not represent a definitive judgment and that the case will be analyzed in depth by the disciplinary bodies.
Benfica position and player defense
Benfica informed that it will appeal the provisional suspension. The club considers that the measure deprives the team of an athlete during the investigation. Apesar of the appeal, the club recognizes that the tight deadline makes it unlikely to reverse before travel to Madrid. The squad leaves on Tuesday, and the club published images of the moment to argue that the distance between the players would make it difficult for others to hear.
Prestianni denied having uttered a racial slur. In a post on social media, the Argentine stated that there was a misunderstanding and regretted the threats received. Fontes indicate that he admitted to the UEFA inspector the use of an offensive expression of a homophobic nature, but not racist. The club supports the player’s version and plans to present arguments to contest the main accusation.
Context of the episode in the game
The first match ended with a minimal victory for Real Madrid due to a goal from Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian’s celebration led to a yellow card for provoking the opposing fans. José Mourinho, coach of Benfica, was sent off with two yellow cards and will serve an automatic suspension on his return. The coach criticized Vinicius’s attitude after the game and defended the club against generalizations about racism.
The anti-racism protocol was carried out as per regulations, but the delay lasted around 10 minutes. A member of the Benfica technical committee received a red card during the stoppage. The game continued without any further serious incidents, although objects were thrown at the end towards Vinicius during a corner kick.
Reactions and history of similar cases
Vinicius Junior published a message after the match highlighting the cowardice of those who use insults and the ineffectiveness of the protocol at times. The Brazilian mentioned that he received a yellow card for the celebration, while the alleged attacker remained on the field. Ele reinforced that situations like this are recurrent in his career and family, but that the focus should be on Real Madrid’s victory.
Cases of racism against Vinicius Junior have already resulted in judicial convictions in Espanha in previous years. Três Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months in prison for insults in 2023. Outros episodes involved Real Valladolid fans and convictions for hate crimes. UEFA has intensified actions against discrimination in European competitions.
The episode once again exposes the challenges of combating racism in European football. UEFA’s investigation remains ongoing, with the possibility of additional punishments depending on the evidence collected. Benfica faces Real Madrid with a confirmed absence of Prestianni, while the Portuguese team seeks to reverse the disadvantage on the aggregate score.
