Portuguese giants Benfica have firmly rejected claims that youngster Gianluca Prestianni admitted to racially abusing Vinícius Júnior during their recent Real Madrid clash.
Reports in Portuguese media suggested the Argentine winger had confessed to teammates that he directed a racist insult toward the Madrid forward. However, Benfica moved quickly to dismiss those claims.
In an official statement, the club said Prestianni did not inform teammates or club officials that he had used racist language toward Vinícius.
Benfica added that the player apologised to teammates for the incident and acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, while maintaining he is not racist.
The controversy stems from the Champions League playoff tie between Benfica and Real Madrid, where Vinícius alleged he was racially abused by Prestianni during the first leg. The accusation led to the winger being provisionally suspended for the return fixture.
The second leg was played at the Santiago Bernabéu, with Madrid securing a 2-1 victory on the night and progressing 3-1 on aggregate after Vinícius scored a decisive late goal.
Following the match, Kylian Mbappé claimed he personally heard the alleged insult and stated that other Benfica players were also aware of the exchange.
Meanwhile, reports indicated Prestianni told investigators from UEFA that he used an offensive anti-gay remark rather than a racist insult, a claim that has added further complexity to the case.
The original match was briefly halted for around 10 minutes after the referee activated anti-racism protocol following Vinícius’ complaint, highlighting once again football’s ongoing battle against discrimination.
While Benfica continue to defend their player, the investigation remains a major talking point across European football, with potential disciplinary consequences still possible depending on UEFA’s findings.
