Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni provisionally suspended for Real Madrid Champions League return leg
CBS Sports
by
Francesco Porzio
February 23, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni has been provisionally suspended by UEFA following comments made to Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior during the first leg of their Champions League playoff match. The incident occurred after Benfica's 1-0 win in Lisbon, where Prestianni approached Vinicius with his jersey covering his mouth following a goal. Vinicius reported an alleged racial incident to the referee, prompting a halt in play and drawing widespread attention to the issue of discrimination in football.
The game was interrupted for 10 minutes as officials investigated the claim. According to reports, Prestianni could face a minimum 10-game ban from UEFA under Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, which prohibits discriminatory behavior. French referee François Letexier, who officiated the match, used a gesture of crossed arms above his head—a signal introduced by FIFA in 2024 to indicate suspected racist abuse.
Vinicius addressed the incident on Instagram, calling out racists as cowards and criticizing the lack of consequences for such behavior. He also questioned why he received a yellow card for celebrating a goal while the alleged discriminator went unpunished initially. Both FIFA and UEFA have condemned the episode, with UEFA confirming the suspension of Prestianni ahead of the second leg in Madrid.
Benfica manager José Mourinho has also come under scrutiny after his post-game comments about Vinicius. Mourinho claimed that Benfica is not a racist club and referenced the club's history of inclusivity, including its black footballing legend Eusebio. However, many criticized Mourinho for downplaying the incident, with Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany calling his remarks a "huge mistake."
This case highlights the ongoing challenges of addressing racial discrimination in sports and the importance of accountability in such situations. The suspension of Prestianni and the broader investigation underscore UEFA's commitment to tackling these issues, while also putting pressure on football authorities to improve protocols for reporting and responding to incidents of this nature.
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Originally published on CBS Sports on 2/23/2026