Gianluca Prestianni Disables Instagram Account After Incident With Vinicius Junior

• Gianluca Prestianni was involved in an on-pitch altercation with Vinícius Júnior during Benfica’s Champions League play-off first leg against Real Madrid
• The match was paused for around 10 minutes after Vinícius walked off following a dispute, with staff from both teams intervening and multiple dismissals
• The game was marred by fan disruptions, including social media backlash on Prestianni’s Instagram and an object thrown at Vinícius from the Benfica section, overshadowing his spectacular goal

Gianluca Prestianni acted swiftly after becoming involved in an altercation with Vinícius Júnior during Benfica’s Champions League play-off first leg.

On Tuesday, 17 February, Real Madrid faced Benfica in a repeat of the week eight league encounter, which had seen Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin score a last-minute header to secure his team’s play-off spot.

That earlier goal had also caused Real Madrid to drop out of automatic qualification for the knockout round, setting the stage for this two-legged tie.

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After a relatively subdued first half on Tuesday evening, Vinícius’ brilliant right-footed strike gave the La Liga side the lead, triggering a chaotic sequence.

Referee François Letexier activated the racist abuse protocol following a complaint from Vinícius, while the winger was booked for excessive celebrations. Shortly after, Vinícius was involved in a confrontation with Prestianni before approaching the referee.

The Brazilian then walked off the pitch, with several Real Madrid teammates following him, causing a stoppage of around 10 minutes before play resumed.

Vinícius also spoke briefly with Jose Mourinho, while staff from both teams became involved. The exact nature of the conversation remains unclear.

Later in the game, a member of Benfica’s coaching staff was sent off, and Mourinho received a second yellow card, resulting in his dismissal.

Prestianni deactivates his Instagram account

Meanwhile, fans began posting Vinícius-related photos and GIFs on Prestianni’s Instagram, but comments were quickly disabled by the account’s manager.

Towards the match’s conclusion, Vinícius was struck by an object thrown from the Benfica section at Estádio da Luz.

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Commenting for Prime, former England striker Alan Shearer described the second half as “ugly” and noted via the BBC:

“What we should be talking about is a special goal. I suspect the headlines will be very, very different.” He added: “A very difficult match for the referee to manage. I think he has handled the game as well as he could do in very difficult circumstances.”

The return leg is scheduled for Wednesday, 25 February, at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Real Madrid traveling to Osasuna for a La Liga fixture on Saturday, 21 February, before that match, per Al Jazeera.

Benfica acusse Mbappe of 'lying'

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Benfica have publicly defended Gianluca Prestianni after Vinícius Júnior reported a racist insult during the Champions League clash between Benfica and Real Madrid.

The match at the Estádio da Luz was halted for around 10 minutes, and since then, differing versions of events have emerged.

Following the final whistle, Kylian Mbappé was among several Real Madrid players to address the incident, insisting he clearly heard the alleged abuse directed at his teammate, a claim Benfica strongly disputes.

Source: YEN.com.gh