UEFA Suspends Benfica’s Prestianni After Alleged Racist Remark Toward Vinícius Júnior
Argentine forward to miss Champions League second leg in Madrid as investigation continues
UEFA has provisionally suspended Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni for one match following allegations that he racially abused Vinícius Júnior during last week’s Champions League clash in Lisbon.
The suspension means Prestianni will miss Wednesday’s second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where Benfica travel trailing 1-0 after defeat at the Estádio da Luz.
The incident occurred shortly after Vinícius scored the only goal of the first leg early in the second half. The Brazilian celebrated near the corner flag in front of Benfica supporters, drawing visible frustration from opposition players. He was subsequently booked by referee François Letexier for what was deemed a provocative celebration.
As players returned toward the center circle, television cameras captured Prestianni speaking to Vinícius while covering his mouth with his shirt. Moments later, the Real Madrid winger reacted angrily and alerted the referee, alleging that he had been called a “monkey.”
Letexier responded by crossing his arms in an X gesture, activating UEFA’s anti-racism protocol. The match was paused for nearly 10 minutes while officials reviewed the incident with VAR. Because Prestianni’s mouth was covered, officials said they could not immediately confirm what had been said, and no on-field sanction was issued at the time.
Prestianni has denied making a racist remark.
After the match, Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius’s teammate at Real Madrid, said he heard the alleged insult and urged UEFA to impose a lifetime ban from the competition. He described racism as incompatible with European football’s premier tournament.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he was shocked and saddened by the alleged incident and commended the referee for triggering the anti-racism procedure.
Benfica has publicly backed its player. In a statement, the Portuguese club said it supports Prestianni’s account and argued that Real Madrid players claiming to have heard the remark were positioned too far away to do so clearly. The club also said it welcomed UEFA’s investigation and intends to appeal the provisional suspension, even though the timing may limit its practical impact for the upcoming match.
Benfica head into the return leg facing multiple challenges. In addition to missing Prestianni, the team will be without manager José Mourinho, who is serving a suspension after receiving a red card late in the first leg for arguing with the referee.
UEFA confirmed that its investigation remains ongoing. Further disciplinary measures could follow depending on the outcome of the review.