UEFA Suspends Benfica's Prestianni for One Match Over Vinicius Jr Incident

Benfica winger misses return leg against Real Madrid

UEFA provisionally suspends Gianluca Prestianni for one match after Vinicius Jr accuses him of racist abuse.

“Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouth with their shirt to show how weak they are...”

Gianluca Prestianni, Benfica's Argentine winger, has been provisionally suspended for one match by UEFA following an incident involving Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. during their Champions League playoff tie. This means Prestianni will miss Wednesday's return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Real Madrid holds a 1-0 lead from the first leg in Lisbon.

The suspension is a result of allegations that Prestianni racially abused Vinicius Jr. during the match, prompting UEFA to launch an investigation. Prestianni has denied the allegations, claiming Vinicius misunderstood what was said.

He covered his mouth with his shirt while making the comment, sparking accusations of racism from Vinicius and other Real Madrid players. However, Prestianni denies these allegations, claiming he used a homophobic slur instead.

UEFA is taking the incident seriously, with an ongoing investigation by the Ethics and Disciplinary Commission. Prestianni has been provisionally suspended for one match, and he could face a longer suspension if found guilty. The governing body's Article 14 states that racist and anti-gay abuse carry the same punishment, with a minimum 10-match ban.

“This is without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies,” a statement regarding the provisional ban reads.

Benfica is standing by their player, Gianluca Prestianni, and has announced plans to appeal the one-match suspension handed down by UEFA. The club released a statement expressing their regret over the decision and reaffirming their commitment to combating racism and discrimination.

Prestianni was suspended after allegations of racially abusing Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. during their Champions League playoff match. However, the player has denied these allegations, claiming he used an anti-gay slur instead.

“The club regrets being deprived of the player while the process is still under investigation and will appeal this Uefa decision, even if the applicable timelines are unlikely to have any practical effect on the second leg of the Champions League playoff,” the club said.

“Benfica also reaffirms its unwavering commitment to combating all forms of racism and discrimination - values that are part of its historical identity and reflected in its daily actions, its global community, the work of the Benfica Foundation, and major figures in the club’s history, such as Eusebio.”

The match between Benfica and Real Madrid was halted for 11 minutes after referee Francois Letexier activated FIFA's anti-racism protocol. This followed an incident where Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of making a racist comment. Footage showed Kylian Mbappe confronting Prestianni, calling him “a bloody racist,” while images appeared to show Benfica fans making monkey gestures.

Prestianni has denied the allegations, claiming he used an anti-gay slur instead. UEFA has provisionally suspended Prestianni for one match, and an investigation is ongoing.

“We cannot accept that there is a player in Europe's top football competition who behaves like this. This guy (Prestianni) doesn't deserve to play in the Champions League anymore,” Mbappe told reporters.

Vinicius Jr took to Instagram to express his frustration and anger over the alleged racist incident involving Gianluca Prestianni.

“Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouth with their shirt to show how weak they are. But they have the protection of others who, theoretically, have an obligation to punish them. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or my family's life,“ Vinicius wrote.

Kick It Out, an anti-discriminatory body, has slammed Benfica coach Jose Mourinho for shifting the focus to Vinicius Jr's goal celebration instead of addressing the alleged racist incident. They called this a “form of gaslighting,“ implying that Mourinho's comments were dismissive and harmful to Vinicius.

Mourinho had suggested that Vinicius provoked the crowd with his celebration, while Vinicius accused Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni of making a racist comment. UEFA has launched an investigation into the incident, and Prestianni has denied the allegations.

“This approach not only harms the individual affected but also sends the wrong message to others around the world who may have experienced similar situations,“ Kick It Out said.

Jose Mourinho won't be leading Benfica from the sidelines in the second leg against Real Madrid after being sent off in the first game. He received a red card for protesting the referee's decision, specifically arguing that Vinicius Jr should've gotten a second yellow card. Mourinho's suspension means he'll miss his return to the Santiago Bernabeu, where he previously managed Real Madrid.