LISBON (PORTUGAL) (ITALPRESS) – UEFA has suspended Prestianni for six matches following homophobic (and not racist) insults directed at Vinicius Jr. The disciplinary investigation dates back to the first leg of the Champions League play-off in Lisbon against Real Madrid on February 17. The Ethics and Disciplinary Committee of the European Football Confederation has decided – according to the Portuguese newspaper “A Bola” – to sanction the Argentine player with a six-match ban to be served for both club and international football. The ban also includes the second leg of the play-off played at the Bernabeu on February 25. The sanction, however, comes with a specific condition. Three of the six matches remain suspended with a two-year suspended sentence: if there are no further sanctionable behaviors, Prestianni will be released by serving an additional two match suspension, since he has already missed one match, the return match at the Bernabeu. UEFA has also reportedly asked FIFA to extend the provision globally, a possibility that could deny the Argentine player participation in the 2026 World Cup.
Following this decision, Benfica responded with a statement confirming the incident: “The club announces that it has been informed by UEFA of the sanction imposed on the player Prestianni for using homophobic language during the Benfica-Real Madrid match. The player Prestianni has been sanctioned with a six-match ban, three of which are suspended for two years. Of the three actual bans, one has already been served and the remaining two must be served in UEFA matches or with the Argentina national team in FIFA.” The incident occurred during Benfica-Real, the first leg of the Champions League play-offs, played at the Da Luz stadium and ending 0-1 for the Blancos, who then won 2-1 in the return leg. After Vinicius’s goal to make it 1-0, around the 50th minute, Prestianni approached the Real Madrid winger and, with his shirt covering his mouth, said something, triggering a reaction from the Brazilian, who immediately ran to the match official, Frenchman Letexier, who was ready to activate the anti-racism protocol, suspending the match for about ten minutes. Prestianni immediately defended himself, denying that he had hurled racist insults at his opponent.
– photo IPA Agency –
