UEFA Investigates Racism Allegations in Benfica-Real Madrid Match

Prestianni denies racist slur against Vinicius Jr

Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni denies racially abusing Vinicius Jr, saying he was misunderstood. UEFA launches investigation into alleged racist abuse of Vinicius Jr by Prestianni during Champions League match.

“I'd like to clarify that at no point did I make racist insults towards Vinicius Jr, who sadly misunderstood what he thinks he heard...”

Benfica is standing by their player Gianluca Prestianni after he was accused of racially abusing Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during Tuesday's Champions League match. The incident led to a 10-minute stoppage in play, with Vinicius reporting the alleged abuse to the referee, who activated the anti-racism protocol.

UEFA has launched an investigation into the allegations, appointing an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to look into the matter. Prestianni has denied the accusations, claiming Vinicius misunderstood what was said, while Vinicius and other Real Madrid players, including Kylian Mbappe, have strongly condemned the alleged behavior.

Vinicius has been targeted with racist abuse repeatedly, and it's become a big issue in Spanish football. There's been several incidents with rival fans, and now Prestianni's in the spotlight after being accused of making a racial slur towards Vinicius.

The TV footage showed Prestianni covering his mouth with his jersey, a common move to hide what he's saying. Vinicius and teammates thought it was a slur, and now it's causing a stir.

The match between Benfica and Real Madrid was halted for 11 minutes after Vinicius Jr reported a racist comment from Gianluca Prestianni, prompting the referee to activate the anti-racism protocol at the Estadio da Luz. Real Madrid went on to win the game 1-0, thanks to a second-half goal from Vinicius Jr.

Como demonstram as imagens, dada a distância, os jogadores do Real Madrid não podem ter ouvido o que andam a dizer que ouviram. pic.twitter.com/7JF9AVuhEM

— SL Benfica (@SLBenfica) February 18, 2026

“Together by your side,” Benfica posted on its official X account, attaching a quote Prestianni had previously shared on Instagram. The club later uploaded a video which it said proved Real Madrid players were unable to ‌hear what Prestianni said due to their distance from the winger.

“I'd like to clarify that at no point did I make racist insults towards Vinicius Jr, who sadly misunderstood what he thinks he heard,” Prestianni said in his Instagram story. “I've never been racist toward anyone and I deplore the threats I received by Real Madrid players.”

Benfica coach Jose Mourinho sparked controversy by suggesting that Vinicius Jr's goal celebration might have provoked the alleged racist abuse from Gianluca Prestianni. Mourinho stated, “I think he made a big mistake today to justify racial abuse. He's saying it's OK, when Vinicius provokes you, to be racist - and I think that is very wrong.”

Former Benfica captain Luisao defended Vinicius, expressing shame over Prestianni's alleged actions. Meanwhile, UEFA has launched an investigation into the incident, and Prestianni has denied making any racist comments.