UEFA has provisionally suspended Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni for one match following allegations of discriminatory behavior toward Real Madrid's Vinícius Jr during the first leg of their Champions League play-off. The 20-year-old Argentine will miss Wednesday's second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, where Benfica trail 1-0. Benfica plans to appeal the decision while reaffirming its anti-racism stance.
The controversy erupted during the February 17, 2026, Champions League knock-out play-off first leg at Benfica's Estádio da Luz, where Real Madrid secured a 1-0 victory thanks to Vinícius Jr's stunning strike six minutes into the second half. As the Brazilian forward celebrated near the corner flag, Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni confronted him, allegedly covering his mouth with his shirt. Vinícius reported hearing a racial slur, specifically "monkey," repeated five times according to teammate Kylian Mbappé, prompting referee François Letexier to halt play for around eight to ten minutes under UEFA's anti-racism protocol. No immediate action was taken during the match due to lack of evidence, and Vinícius received a yellow card for his celebration.
Prestianni has repeatedly denied racially abusing Vinícius, telling accusers to "stop inventing things." Some reports suggested he claimed to have used a homophobic slur, "maricon," instead, though his agent, Gastón Fernández, denied this, stating that published details of the UEFA investigation were false. UEFA appointed an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to probe the incident under Article 14 of its Disciplinary Regulations, which addresses insults to human dignity based on race, skin color, or other grounds, potentially leading to a minimum ten-match ban if guilt is proven.
On February 23, 2026, UEFA's Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body issued a provisional one-game suspension, ruling Prestianni out of the return leg. The body stated: "This is without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation." Benfica expressed regret over the timing, noting in a club statement: "The club regrets being deprived of the player while the case is still under investigation and will appeal this UEFA decision." They emphasized their commitment to equality, citing historical figure Eusébio as a symbol, and described Prestianni as a victim of a "defamation campaign."
Benfica coach José Mourinho, who received a red card in the first leg for protesting, is also sidelined from the touchline and has opted out of media duties, with assistant João Tralhão handling them. Mourinho previously suggested Vinícius incited the crowd with his celebrations. Despite the ban, Portuguese media reported Benfica would travel Prestianni to Madrid, potentially to influence the appeal. The second leg on February 25 at the Santiago Bernabéu promises a tense atmosphere, with Real Madrid aiming to advance.
