Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has presented his UEFA account following the explosive incident involving Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior in Lisbon this week. In what many described as a bizarre line of defence, the 20-year-old reportedly denied racism and admitted he had instead used an anti-gay slur.
UEFA has opened a formal investigation into the moment that overshadowed Real Madrid’s 1-0 win at the Estadio da Luz. Shortly after Vinicius scored the decisive goal, he approached referee Francois Letexier claims he was racially abused. The match was stopped for almost ten minutes as UEFA’s anti-discrimination protocol was activated.
According to ESPN, Prestianni has already provided evidence to investigators. The Argentine reportedly said he did not use the word “mono” – Spanish for monkey – but instead directed a homophobic slur in Spanish at the Brazilian forward. While the clarification shifts the category of alleged abuse, it does little to reduce the seriousness of the situation under UEFA rules, which consider all discriminatory expressions to be serious misconduct.
Real Madrid has formally submitted what the club described all the evidence available to UEFA to support Vinicius’ complaint. Several teammates, including Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, have publicly supported the Brazilian, saying they heard offensive remarks during the altercation. Benfica stood by Prestianni, rejecting allegations of racism and suggesting the situation had been misrepresented.
Television footage captured Prestianni speaking while covering his mouth, a gesture that has intensified scrutiny and fueled debate about what was said. No clear sound has emerged, but UEFA has appointed a disciplinary inspector to gather statements and evidence before its commission reviews the case.
With the second leg scheduled for February 25 in Madrid, UEFA is expected to reach a decision quickly.
WHAT WAS PRESTIANNI DOING?
The flashpoint came minutes after Vinicio’s goal. The Brazilian immediately alerted the referee, claiming that Prestianni had called him a racist slur. The referee responded by stopping play and initiating the governing body’s anti-racism protocol.
According to ESPN reports, Prestianni denied using a racial slur but admitted to using a homophobic slur in Spanish. While racism is ruled out, UEFA regulations classify any discriminatory remark – whether racial, homophobic or otherwise – as a criminal offence.
WHAT PUNISHMENTS COULD PRESTIANNI FACE?
If UEFA decides that discriminatory language has been used, Prestianni faces a minimum 10-match ban from UEFA competitions. Depending on the severity and interpretation of the findings, additional sanctions could be imposed.
Financial sanctions are also possible. Benfica could face a fine and the club could come under further disciplinary scrutiny after clips emerged online showing monkey gestures from sections of the crowd.
The UEFA Disciplinary Committee will consider the inspector’s report before issuing a decision. Given the emphasis on discriminatory behavior in European football, the outcome could have significant sporting and reputational implications for both player and club.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
February 21, 2026