Benfica's Prestianni rejects allegations of racist behavior towards Vinicius Junior

Gianluca Prestianni, the Argentine forward for SL Benfica, has spoken out about the punishment he received, claiming it was handed down "without evidence" on April 1, 2026, following accusations of racist insults toward Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr.

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The accusations against the 20-year-old Argentinian stem from an incident in February, where he allegedly made a racist comment towards the Brazilian player while covering his mouth with his shirt, prompting the referee to halt the match for 10 minutes.

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As a result of the incident, Prestianni was suspended for the second leg by UEFA, which has also launched an investigation into the matter, and if found guilty, he will face a minimum ban of 10 matches.

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Real Madrid ultimately progressed to the Champions League last 16 with a 3-1 aggregate win, and Prestianni expressed his disappointment at missing the second leg in Madrid, stating that it "hurt a lot".

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In his first interview since the incident, Prestianni denied making the racist insult, telling Argentine broadcaster Telefe that he was thinking about his family and the fact that the accusations did not reflect his true character.

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He described the experience as "ugly and hurtful", but expressed gratitude towards his club and teammates for their support, and praised his coach, Jose Mourinho, as "a phenomenon".

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Mourinho had faced criticism for his initial response to the incident, which seemed to suggest that Vinicius had provoked the alleged abuse with his goal celebration, but he later clarified his position, stating that if the accusations were confirmed, Prestianni would never play for him again.

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Despite the controversy, Prestianni was recently called up by Argentina for friendlies, and he expressed his dedication to his work, stating that his greatest dream is to play in a World Cup with the Albiceleste.