UEFA has suspended Benfica’s midfielder Gianluca Prestianni for one match after allegations that he targeted Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior with a racial slur during last week’s playoff first leg in Lisbon.
The controversy erupted during Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory at the Estádio da Luz on February 17.
After scoring the winning goal, Vinicius Junior was confronted by the 20-year-old Argentine midfielder.
The Brazilian international immediately reported the incident to French referee François Letexier, claiming Prestianni called him a “monkey” while covering his mouth with his jersey to hide the exchange.
The match was delayed for nearly 10 minutes as the anti-racism protocol was activated. Despite the chaos, no immediate action was taken on the pitch due to a lack of evidence at the time.
However, following a review by an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector, UEFA’s Control, Ethics, and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) decided to act.
UEFA said it has suspended Prestianni, meaning he will miss the crucial second-leg tie at the Santiago Bernabéu this Wednesday.
“Following the appointment of a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector (EDI) to investigate allegations of discriminatory behaviour during the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 Knock-out Play-off match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF on 17 February 2026, and upon request of the EDI with an interim report, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) today decided to provisionally suspend Mr. Gianluca Prestianni for the next (1) UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible for the prima facie violation of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR) related to a discriminatory behaviour.
“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,” the football body said.
Prestianni could face further sanctions, including a potential multi-match ban, depending on the evidence presented, which may include referee reports, match footage, witness statements, and player testimonies.
He has denied making any racist remark, claiming instead that he used a homophobic slur (an anti-gay insult in Spanish) rather than a racial one.
Benfica has publicly backed its player, expressing confidence in his character while the club reportedly prepares arguments to challenge or mitigate the sanction.
The case has reignited broader discussions about racism in football, particularly given Vinícius Júnior’s history of facing similar abuse in Spain and Europe.
