Uefa has suspended Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni for one match following allegations that he racially abused Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior during the first leg of their Champions League playoff. The provisional ban means the 20-year-old Argentine will miss Wednesday's second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, where Benfica trail 1-0.
The incident occurred at the Estádio da Luz last Tuesday, when Vinícius reported to referee François Letexier that Prestianni had called him a 'monkey' five times. Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé also claimed to have heard the slur. The match was delayed for ten minutes as the anti-racism protocol was activated, though Letexier said he had not heard anything himself.
Prestianni denies the accusation, and Benfica have defended him, calling him the 'victim of a smear campaign'. The club released a video on X purporting to show that Madrid players could not have heard what they claimed from their positions. Benfica head coach José Mourinho said both players gave him different versions of events.
Uefa has appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate further. The governing body stated the current ban is 'without prejudice to any ruling that the Uefa disciplinary bodies may subsequently make', and Prestianni could face a ten-game suspension if found guilty. Benfica said they will appeal, though they acknowledged the timelines are unlikely to affect the second leg.
In a statement, Benfica reaffirmed its 'unwavering commitment to combating all forms of racism and discrimination'. Meanwhile, reports suggest Prestianni told investigators he used a homophobic slur rather than a racist one, though his agent Gastón Fernández denied this. Mourinho, who is serving a touchline ban for his sending-off in the first leg, will not speak to the media before or after the match.
