This week, European football’s highest governing body officially issued a severe disciplinary measure in the context of Liga of Campeões of Uefa. The control, ethics and discipline body determined the provisional suspension of Gianluca Prestianni, Benfica striker, preventing him from participating in the second leg of the round of 16 of the continental competition.
The decision comes in response to the incidents recorded in Estádio of Luz, in Lisboa, where the Argentine player was accused of making racist insults against the Brazilian Vinicius Junior. The measure aims to guarantee the integrity of disciplinary procedures and avoid additional tensions in the decisive match that will take place at Santiago Bernabéu.
Technical evidence supports the punishment
The suspension is based on the preliminary report delivered by the ethics and discipline inspector of Uefa, who analyzed the broadcast footage and arbitration reports. The investigation used lip reading experts to confirm the content of the offenses directed at Real Madrid’s number 7, corroborating the initial complaint.
The disciplinary regulations of Uefa, specifically in its Artigo 14, provide for strict sanctions for behaviors that violate human dignity. The application of the preventive penalty indicates that the entity considers the evidence presented to date as substantial, justifying intervention even before the final judgment on the merits.
- The incident occurred shortly after Vinicius Junior scored the goal that opened the scoring for the Spanish team.
- Prestianni allegedly directed the insults at the Brazilian near the corner flag during the celebration.
- The anti-racism protocol was immediately activated by the referee, stopping the game for around ten minutes.
- The stadium’s sound system issued warnings to fans, while objects were thrown onto the field.
Embezzlement confirmed for the decision in Madri
With the confirmation of the punishment, the Benfica coach will have to reformulate his offensive sector for the confrontation at Espanha. Gianluca Prestianni, which had been a piece used to provide speed and dribbling along the sides of the field, is officially off the list of related players for the second game.
In addition to the individual sanction for the athlete, the Portuguese club remains under investigation and may suffer additional penalties. Caso discriminatory behavior is ratified in the final judgment, Benfica runs the risk of facing heavy financial fines and even the partial or total closure of sectors of its stadium in future European competitions.