Benfica issues ruling regarding player accused of racism towards Vinicius

Benfica has reached a verdict about Gianluca Prestianni after the disputed event with Vinicius in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League knockout stage.

Real Madrid will host Benfica at Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg of the UEFA Champions League knockout round. The rematch is expected to take place amid tense atmosphere, stemming from the racial discrimination allegations made by Vinicius against Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg at Estadio da Luz.

After the match, midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni stated that Prestianni was accused of using racially offensive language towards Vinicius and even covering his mouth with his shirt while speaking. However, the Argentine player immediately denied all accusations, asserting that he committed no racist acts against the Brazilian forward.

Given the seriousness of the matter, UEFA has launched an investigation to clarify the facts. Although no official conclusion has been announced, Benfica is believed to have already planned how to handle Prestianni for the second leg. According to Record, the midfielder will still travel with the team to Spain, but whether he will start or remain on the bench is still uncertain.

The atmosphere at Bernabeu is predicted to be particularly hostile for Benfica players, especially Prestianni, who is at the center of the controversy.

Following the incident, Real Madrid players such as Federico Valverde, Tchouameni, and Kylian Mbappe publicly voiced their support for Vinicius. Mbappe even called for a ban on Prestianni from Champions League matches.

On the Brazilian side, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) issued an official statement demanding strict action from both FIFA and UEFA against individuals involved in the alleged racist behavior. In a document signed by President Samir Xaud, the CBF emphasized the desire for FIFA to closely monitor the case and urged UEFA to take all necessary steps to investigate and punish those responsible.

Additionally, the CBF sent a letter requesting UEFA to conduct a thorough investigation, fully considering the testimonies of the victim and witnesses, with the ultimate goal of clarifying the incident and imposing appropriate deterrent sanctions.​