Benfica’s Prestianni gets provisional one-match ban for Vinicius incident
Al Jazeera
February 23, 2026
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UEFA has provisionally suspended Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni for one match following allegations that he racially abused Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. during a Champions League playoff match. The incident occurred in the second leg of the tie, which took place at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium. Madrid had already secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg in Lisbon, thanks to Vinicius’ decisive goal. However, the game was disrupted when Vinicius celebrated his goal near Benfica’s corner flag, provoking local fans and players. After confronting Vinicius, Prestianni was accused of calling him a racial slur. The Argentinian player has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that Vinicius misunderstood their conversation. Meanwhile, Benfica management supported Prestianni, stating they believe his version of events and emphasizing his respectful behavior during his time with the club.
The incident led to a prolonged stoppage in play as the anti-discrimination protocol was activated. However, no further action was taken during the match due to a lack of evidence against Prestianni. Vinicius received a yellow card for his celebratory actions but continued playing. Following the game, Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe strongly defended Vinicius on social media, calling out Prestianni and expressing support for the Brazil forward.
Benfica fans reacted angrily to Vinicius’ celebration, throwing objects at him and other Real Madrid players. The match was already tense due to Benfica’s defeat in the first leg and their desire to overturn the result. After the incident, Benfica released a
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Originally published on Al Jazeera on 2/23/2026