UEFA hands Prestianni a provisional one-game suspension pending further investigation
The Benfica winger will miss the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Real Madrid holding a 1-0 lead
Vinicius accused Prestianni of racial abuse following a heated celebration in the first leg
Champions League: UEFA Suspends Prestianni After Vinicius Racism Allegation, To Miss Real Madrid Vs Benfica Match
UEFA has provisionally banned Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni for one match after Vinicius alleged racial abuse, with the Argentine missing the Champions League second leg against Real Madrid
Summary
UEFA has provisionally suspended Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni for one match after Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior accused the Argentine winger of racially abusing him during last week’s UEFA Champions League play-off first leg match in Lisbon. The decision was taken by UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB).
The suspension rules Prestianni out of Wednesday’s Champions League second leg between Real Madrid and Benfica at Santiago Bernabeu. Madrid hold a 1-0 lead courtesy of Vinicius’s curling winner.
“This is without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies,” UEFA said in a statement.
Vinicius-Prestianni Racism Controversy
After Vinicius scored in the second half of the first leg and celebrated near the Benfica corner flag, the home supporters and Benfica players reacted strongly to the Brazilian international’s celebration. Vinicius was shown a yellow card.
The celebration then led to a confrontation between Vinicius and Prestianni. Vinicius later accused Prestianni of calling him “monkey” while having his mouth covered, which the Benfica player denied.
The match was halted for nearly 10 minutes as referee Francois Letexier activated UEFA’s anti-racism protocol. However, no further disciplinary action was taken during the game due to a lack of immediate evidence. Letexier was praised by FIFA President Gianni Infantino for activating the anti-racism protocol.
The Real Madrid players and staff have condemned the alleged racism faced by Vinicius, with Kylian Mbappe saying that Prestianni should be banned from the Champions League for life. Meanwhile, Benfica have thrown their support behind Prestianni.
(With AP Inputs)
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