Gianluca Prestianni: Benfica deny winger admitted using a racial insult towards Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr
Benfica have denied that Gianluca Prestianni admitted to using racial language towards Vinicius Jr in their Champions League knockout play-off first leg last week; he was suspended for the second at the Bernabeu; Real Madrid won the tie 3-1 with Vinicius Jr scoring in both legs
Thursday 26 February 2026 19:22, UK
Benfica have denied reports that Gianluca Prestianni admitted to team-mates that he had used a racial insult towards Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr.
Portuguese media had been reporting that the 20-year-old made an omission of guilt to his fellow Benfica players - something the club have strenuously denied.
A statement read: "Sport Lisboa e Benfica categorically denies that the player Prestianni has communicated to the squad or the club's structure that he has uttered a racist insult to the player Vinicius Jr, from Real Madrid.
"As has already been made public, the player apologised to his teammates for the incident that occurred during the match against Real Madrid, regretting the dimension and consequences of it and assuring everyone, as he has done since the first hour, that he is not racist."
Vinicius Jr initially refused to continue the Champions League knockout play-off first leg between the teams on March 17 after the incident with Prestianni.
The Madrid forward had just given his side the lead - after which he celebrated in front of the Benfica fans, for which he was booked - when he was confronted by Prestianni, who pulled his shirt up over his mouth before saying something to the Madrid forward.
Vinicius Jr ran to speak to the match referee Francois Letexier, who immediately stopped the game. The referee responded by crossing his arms in front of his face, activating FIFA's anti-racism protocol and temporarily stopping the match.
UEFA has opened an investigation into allegations of "discriminatory behaviour" after the game in Lisbon, and Prestianni was handed a one-match suspension, covering the second leg at the Bernabeu.
Benfica appealed the temporary suspension, and Prestianni did travel and train with the squad in Madrid. However, the appeal was dismissed hours before the game on Wednesday.
Real Madrid won the tie 3-1 on aggregate to seal a spot on the last 16. Aurelien Tchouameni said the result was a "victory for everyone who stands against racism".
Mourinho criticised for response over incident
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho did not speak to the media around Wednesday's second leg, with his sending off during the first leg meaning he did not have to carry out his usual media duties.
It comes after the former Real Madrid boss was widely criticised for appearing to defend Prestianni and the club by questioning the way Vinicius Jr celebrates goals.
"I told him, when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back. They [Vinicius Jr and Prestianni] told me different things. But I don't believe in one or another. I want to be an independent," Mourinho told Amazon Prime following the first leg.
"When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person [Eusebio] in the history of this club was black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist."
Mourinho then appeared to comment on previous incidents in which Vinicius Jr has been subject to racist abuse in stadiums.
The Brazilian has spoken out multiple times against racism he has been subject to inside stadiums. In June 2024, three Valencia fans were jailed for eight months for racially abusing him during a LaLiga game the previous year, in the first verdict of its kind in Spain.
"There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium," said Mourinho. "A stadium where Vinicius plays something happens, always."
Mourinho was seen speaking to a visibly upset Vinicius Jr and a member of the Benfica coaching staff was shown a red card during the lengthy stoppage. After a number of discussions between players, coaches and the referee, play then resumed.
Real Madrid held on to win but there was a further short delay late in stoppage time when fans threw objects as Vinicius Jr was attempting to take a corner kick.
'Prestianni facing 10-game ban'
Sky Sports News' Kaveh Solhekol:
UEFA has moved very quickly to suspend Prestianni. They appointed an ethics inspector last Wednesday to look into allegations that Prestianni had racially abused Vinicius Jr the previous evening.
The inspector has already spoken to the relevant parties and forwarded an interim report to UEFA's disciplinary body, recommending Prestianni is suspended for one game while the disciplinary process continues.
The inspector believes there is prima facie evidence that Prestianni has broken UEFA's regulations on discriminatory behaviour, which carries a minimum 10-game ban.
UEFA says the provisional ban is without prejudice, which means Prestianni can still expect a fair hearing.
Vinicius Jr: Racists are cowards
Posting after the first leg, in Portuguese on his Instagram story, Vinicius Jr wrote: "Racists are, above all, cowards.
"They need to put their shirts over their mouths to demonstrate how weak they are.
"But they have, on their side, the protection of others who, theoretically, have the obligation to punish. Nothing that happened here today was new in my life and my family's.
"I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don't understand why. On the other hand, just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose.
"I don't like appearing in situations like this, even more so after a great victory and when the headlines have to be about Real Madrid, but it's necessary."
In a statement in Portuguese on Instagram, shared by Benfica on social media, Prestianni denied making racist comments.
He wrote: "I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard.
"I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players."
Benfica posted footage of the incident on X, with the comment: "As the images demonstrate, given the distance, the Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim to have heard."
Mbappe explains what he heard
Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe said in an interview after the match in Lisbon that he heard Prestianni racially abuse his team-mate and said the Benfica winger should not be allowed to play in the Champions League.
"I know everything," the France international said after the game. "I will explain everything that happened.
"Vinicius scored a goal - an amazing goal. He goes to dance and the people boo him. That's something that happens in football. After that, there's a moment of tension with the Benfica players. It's better if it doesn't happen, but this can happen too.
"It's the Champions League, the best competition in the world for clubs. So, it's normal that people want to win, to give their best for their club and their fans and defend their colours.
"After that, Benfica's No 25 - I don't want to say his name because he doesn't deserve it - starts to talk badly. You don't accept it but, again, it happens in football and it will continue to happen.
"He put his shirt here [over his mouth] to say Vinicius is a ****** five times. I heard it. There are Benfica players who heard it as well. And after that point, everything you have seen started.
"I want to try and explain it calmly. I don't want to speak in a general manner. I have come to Portugal many times. I have been lucky to have many team-mates and friends from Portugal, and nothing has ever happened to me.
"With these kind of things, it's very important to speak in a very clear way, and to not speak in general, because there are people who haven't done anything wrong. In the stadium, I think there are 70,000 people who haven't done anything wrong. They just wanted to support their team.
"I have the maximum respect for Benfica and their manager, who is one of the best in history, who has made history at Real Madrid.
"But this player, for me, doesn't deserve to play in the Champions League anymore.
"It's a wonderful thing to play in the Champions League. The best competition. Everyone here, all the journalists, loves the Champions League, no? It inspires me as a player, it inspires the people, it inspires children, and we have to give the best possible example to young people.
"If we let this kind of thing happen, I think all the values of football are worthless, all that we believe is worthless. We have to do something."
Vinicius Jr's history with incidents of racism
Vinicius Jr has spoken out previously about repeated racist abuse he has suffered, saying in 2024 that he felt "less and less" like playing football because of the abuse.
In that same year, three Valencia fans were sentenced to eight months in prison for racially abusing him at a match in May 2023 - in scenes reminiscent of those in Benfica, as the game was also stopped for 10 minutes after Vinicius Jr alerted the referee to fans he felt had abused him.
After the game, the Brazilian said LaLiga "belongs to racism". But LaLiga president Javier Tebas responded that Vinicius Jr had been "manipulated" in calling out the abuse. Tebas later apologised for those comments.
The three supporters from the Valencia incident were also fined €5,000 (£4,681) and banned from sporting venues for one year for making racist gestures. Valencia were fined €27,000 (£23,581) and had their stadium partially closed for three matches.
Since then, Spain has been punishing supporters for racist abuse towards Vinicius Jr. Four people were convicted for hanging an effigy with his name on it off a highway bridge in Madrid earlier in 2023.
Three of them were sentenced to seven months in prison for hate crimes and threats, while the other was sentenced to 15 months in prison for sharing the images online.
All four had to take an anti-discrimination training programme to have those sentences suspended, while they were also fined €60,000 and banned from sports venues for two years.
And just last year, five Real Valladolid fans were found guilty for racially abusing Vinicius Jr during a match in 2022. They faced one year in prison and were fined up to €1,620 (£1,412) - but again the prison sentences were suspended as long as they did not attend a football match for three years.
