UEFA Bans Benfica’s Prestianni Following Allegations of Abuse Against Vinicius Jr.

Real Madrid’s Champions League progression past Benfica has been marked by a strong statement against racism, following the suspension of Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni. The suspension stems from allegations made by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. Of racial and homophobic abuse during the first leg of their Champions League playoff match.

Allegations and Suspension

Vinicius Jr. Alleged that Prestianni racially abused him after scoring the winning goal in the first leg match in Lisbon on February 17, 2026. The match was halted for approximately eight minutes as referee Francois Letexier initiated FIFA’s racial abuse protocol [Source: The New York Times].

UEFA subsequently opened an investigation and provisionally suspended Prestianni for one match, a decision Benfica appealed but which was dismissed on February 25, 2026 [Source: The New York Times]. This meant Prestianni missed the second leg in Madrid, where Real Madrid held a 1-0 lead.

Details of the Alleged Abuse

Initial reports indicated the alleged abuse was racially motivated. However, further evidence revealed that Prestianni is alleged to have used an anti-gay slur, specifically calling Vinicius Jr. “m——” in Spanish, rather than a racial slur like “mono” (Spanish for monkey) [Source: ESPN]. Prestianni has denied the allegations.

Aurélien Tchouaméni, Real Madrid midfielder, stated that Prestianni admitted to using the anti-gay slur when confronted after the game [Source: ESPN].

Real Madrid’s Response and Support for Vinicius Jr.

Real Madrid submitted a dossier of evidence to UEFA as part of the investigation [Source: ESPN]. Kylian Mbappé, Real Madrid forward, claimed to have personally heard Prestianni racially abuse Vinicius Jr. On multiple occasions, and stated that other Benfica players also witnessed the incident [Source: ESPN].

Following the incident, support for Vinicius Jr. Was visible at the Santiago Bernabéu, with fans displaying a banner reading “no to racism” before kickoff [Source: The New York Times].

Champions League Qualification and Aftermath

Real Madrid ultimately won the tie 3-1 on aggregate, securing their place in the next round. Aurelien Tchouameni emphasized that the victory was “a victory for all of us” and highlighted the importance of standing against racism [Source: The New York Times]. Trent Alexander-Arnold noted Vinicius Jr. Remained “very chilled” and “very relaxed” before the fixture, demonstrating his focus and resilience [Source: The New York Times].

Prestianni’s Denial

Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni has denied racially insulting Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior during the Champions League match [Source: AP News].