Benfica Winger Gianluca Prestianni Handed Provisional UEFA Ban Following Racism Incident
Benfica's young winger Gianluca Prestianni has been provisionally suspended for one UEFA club competition match following allegations that he racially abused Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr during a heated Champions League encounter last week.
Incident During Champions League Play-off First Leg
The controversy erupted during the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 Knock-out Play-off first-leg match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF on 17 February 2026. Following Vinicius Jr's second-half goal, Prestianni was seen holding his shirt over his mouth during an intense exchange with Madrid players.
The Brazilian international immediately rushed to referee Anthony Taylor to report what he claimed was racist abuse directed at him. The match was subsequently halted for 11 minutes as officials attempted to address the situation and calm tensions on the pitch.
UEFA's Official Statement and Investigation
UEFA released a detailed statement confirming the disciplinary action against the 20-year-old Argentine winger. The European football governing body announced that a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector (EDI) has been appointed to investigate allegations of discriminatory behaviour during the match.
The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) decided to provisionally suspend Prestianni for one UEFA club competition match based on an interim report from the EDI. The suspension relates to a prima facie violation of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations concerning discriminatory behaviour.
UEFA emphasized that this provisional suspension is without prejudice to any final ruling that may be made following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation. The disciplinary bodies will make their final determination once the investigation is complete and all evidence has been submitted for review.
What Happens Next in the Investigation
The provisional suspension means Prestianni will miss Benfica's next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible. This could potentially impact Benfica's European campaign depending on their progression in the competition.
UEFA has stated that further information about this matter will be made available in due course as the investigation progresses. The football world now awaits the outcome of what has become another high-profile racism case in European football, following numerous similar incidents in recent seasons that have prompted calls for stronger action against discrimination in the sport.
The incident has reignited discussions about racism in football and the effectiveness of current disciplinary measures. Both clubs have yet to make extensive public statements about the ongoing investigation, though Real Madrid players were visibly upset during the match when the alleged abuse occurred.
