UEFA has provisionally suspended Gianluca Prestianni, midfielder for SL Benfica, following allegations of racist abuse directed at Vinícius Júnior during a UEFA Champions League knock-out play-off against Real Madrid CF.
The decision, announced Monday by UEFA, means Prestianni will miss Benfica’s crucial second-leg clash with the Spanish giants. The suspension follows an interim report submitted by a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector investigating alleged discriminatory behaviour during the first leg in Lisbon on February 17, 2026.
UEFA Disciplinary Action and Investigation
According to UEFA’s statement, the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) imposed a one-match provisional ban for a potential breach of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, which addresses racist and discriminatory conduct. The ruling remains subject to the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
The incident occurred shortly after Vinícius Júnior scored in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory. The Brazilian forward accused Prestianni of calling him “mono” — Spanish for “monkey” — during a heated confrontation. Television footage showed Vinícius visibly distressed, prompting the referee to activate UEFA’s anti-racism protocol and temporarily halt the match for about 10 minutes.
Although initially reluctant to continue, Vinícius resumed play and later posted on social media that “racists are, above all, cowards.
Benfica Back Player as Racism Debate Intensifie
UEFA provisionally suspends Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni over alleged racist abuse of Vinicius Jr during a Champions League play-off against Real Madrid.
Prestianni has denied making a racist remark, claiming instead that any language used was not racial in nature. Benfica has publicly supported the 19-year-old midfielder and is preparing to contest or mitigate the sanction.
If found guilty, Prestianni could face a lengthier ban. The case has once again intensified conversations about racism in football, especially given Vinícius Júnior’s past experiences with abuse in European
