Dare Babalola
Gianluca Prestianni will not be part of the SL Benfica squad playing the UEFA Champions League second leg against Real Madrid after UEFA provisionally suspended him due to an ongoing investigation into alleged racist behavior towards Vinícius Júnior.
Benfica received official word of the suspension on Friday, and the disciplinary measure is effective immediately, pending UEFA’s investigation into the incident.
The case refers back to the first leg at Estádio da Luz on February 17, where Real Madrid beat Benfica 1-0. Video footage shows Prestianni and Vinícius having an on-field exchange after the Brazilian scored, with Prestianni covering his mouth as he spoke.
Vinícius reported to referee François Letexier that he had been subjected to a racist remark, prompting a brief pause in play as officials assessed the situation before resuming the match.
UEFA quickly launched a formal investigation, assigning an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to gather evidence, review match footage, and interview players, officials, and witnesses.
The investigation is ongoing, and UEFA has indicated that the disciplinary process will not conclude before the second-leg match in Madrid, prompting the provisional suspension of Prestianni to prevent potential escalation and ensure the integrity of the competition.
Prestianni denied the allegation, saying he never made a racist comment to Vinícius and regretting the backlash and threats he has faced since.
Real Madrid, however, has submitted evidence supporting Vinícius’s claims and stressed the importance of addressing discriminatory behavior in football.
UEFA announced the ruling in a statement on Monday, adding that it was informed by an interim report from its Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector.
“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,” the statement reads.
If UEFA ultimately determines that Prestianni engaged in racist conduct, he could face severe sanctions under Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations. Such penalties include a minimum 10-match suspension or a specified period of ineligibility, which would effectively rule him out of the remainder of the current European season and potentially beyond.
The incident has reignited the broader debate over racism in football. Vinícius has previously been targeted by racist abuse, and football authorities, players, and former professionals have called on UEFA to take decisive action.
The governing body’s handling of the case, including the provisional suspension and ongoing investigation, is likely to be closely scrutinized as European football continues to confront issues of discrimination and player safety.
