Real Madrid vs. Benfica: Will Gianluca Prestianni Play for Mourinho's Team?
- The European heavyweight showdown descended into controversy after an explosive allegation cast a shadow over the dramatic first leg in Lisbon
- UEFA has now intervened with a swift provisional decision, leaving a key Benfica figure sidelined at a crucial moment in the Champions League
- Tensions escalated ahead of the decisive Bernabeu clash, with major absences and unfinished business set to shape the outcome
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Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni has been handed a provisional suspension by UEFA following allegations that he made a racist remark towards Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr during their Champions League clash.
The incident occurred during last Tuesday’s first leg in Lisbon when Vinicius alerted referee Francois Letexier to an alleged comment from Prestianni.
Source: Getty Images
Letexier activated Uefa’s anti-racism protocol, causing a roughly 10-minute delay while the matter was addressed. Uefa later opened a formal investigation into the claim, which Prestianni has firmly denied.
UEFA suspends Prestianni over Vinicius' racism allegation
With the inquiry still underway, European football’s governing body has imposed a one-match provisional suspension on the Benfica winger, according to Sky Sports.
As a result of the temporary suspension, Prestianni will not feature at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, February 25, where Real Madrid hold a 1-0 advantage from the first leg.
Source: Getty Images
Vinicius scored the decisive goal in Lisbon shortly before the alleged incident took place.
Meanwhile, Benfica will also be without head coach Jose Mourinho, who was sent off during the heated encounter in Portugal and is suspended for the return fixture, as Madrid Universal explained.
Both teams returned to domestic action after their dramatic European meeting. Benfica recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory over AVS in the Portuguese league, although Prestianni was unavailable due to yellow card accumulation.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, suffered a surprise 2-1 defeat away to Osasuna, a result that saw them relinquish top spot in LaLiga to Barcelona. Vinicius managed to find the net despite the loss.
Vinicius Jr.'s reaction to alleged racist abuse
In the aftermath of the match in Lisbon, Vinicius took to Instagram to condemn what he described as racist behavior.
He criticized those responsible, calling them cowards and expressing frustration at what he felt was a lack of effective action.
The Brazilian also questioned why he received a yellow card for celebrating his goal and suggested the protocol applied during the incident did little to address the situation.
On his part, Prestianni responded publicly, insisting he did not direct any racist language at Vinicius and claiming the Real Madrid forward misunderstood what was said.
The young winger maintained he has never engaged in racist conduct and expressed disappointment over threats he said he received from opposing players.
Benfica then later shared Prestianni’s statement on their official platforms, voicing support for their player during the ongoing investigation.
Mbappe calls for ban against Prestianni
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Kylian Mbappe called on UEFA to impose a ban on Gianluca Prestianni in the Champions League following allegations of racist abuse directed at his teammate, Vinícius Júnior.
According to UEFA regulations, players proven guilty of racist conduct face a minimum 10-match suspension and may face additional sanctions.
Source: YEN.com.gh
