Gianluca Prestianni: Benfica's appeal against suspension rejected before Real Madrid match
BBC World
February 25, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Gianluca Prestianni will miss the second leg of Benfica's Champions League tie against Real Madrid after Uefa rejected the club's appeal for his suspension. The Argentine winger was handed a provisional one-match ban following allegations of racist abuse reported by Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during last week's 1-0 defeat in the first leg of their knockout round play-off. Despite Benfica's efforts to appeal, Uefa's Appeals Body dismissed the request, leaving Prestianni provisionally suspended for Wednesday's crucial match at the Bernabeu.
Prestianni trained with his Benfica teammates at Real Madrid's stadium on Tuesday, hoping to overturn the suspension in time to feature. However, Uefa has maintained that there was sufficient evidence to support a "prima facie" case against him regarding the use of discriminatory language. The 20-year-old has denied the allegations, but the investigation into the incident continues, with further disciplinary action potentially looming for Prestianni.
The suspension comes at a critical moment for Benfica, who are aiming to advance in the Champions League. Without Prestianni, the team will need to rely on their other players to secure a favorable result against Real Madrid. The case also highlights the ongoing efforts to combat discrimination and racism within European football, with Uefa emphasizing the importance of addressing
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Originally published on BBC World on 2/25/2026