Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has been provisionally suspended for one match by the UEFA following allegations that he racially abused Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior during their UEFA Champions League first-leg play-off clash on 17 February 2026. The decision, announced on Monday, means Prestianni will miss Benfica’s return fixture against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu as the investigation into the incident continues.
The controversy stems from the Champions League match in Lisbon, Portugal, which saw Real Madrid take a 1-0 lead courtesy of a goal by Vinícius. Shortly after scoring, the Brazilian forward celebrated in front of Benfica fans, a moment that preceded an on-pitch confrontation with Prestianni. Video footage showed Prestianni speaking to Vinícius while covering his mouth with his shirt, a gesture that led to Vinícius reporting alleged racist abuse to referee François Letexier, who subsequently activated UEFA’s anti-racism protocol and paused the match for nearly 10 minutes.
In its official statement, UEFA said its disciplinary process had been triggered after the appointment of a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector (EDI) to investigate allegations of discriminatory behaviour during the Champions League knockout play-off match. The organisation’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) decided to provisionally suspend Prestianni for the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible, citing a potential violation of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, which deals with discriminatory conduct. UEFA stressed that this provisional one-match ban is “without prejudice” to any future ruling that may be made once the ongoing investigation concludes and is presented to the disciplinary bodies. Additional information on the case will be disclosed in due course.
Prestianni, who is 20 years old, denies using racist language toward Vinícius. Following the incident, he posted on social media asserting that he never directed racist insults, suggesting that Vinícius had misunderstood what he thought he heard. Despite his denial, the provisional ban stands while UEFA continues its disciplinary investigation.
The provisional suspension represents a significant moment in UEFA’s disciplinary approach to potential racism and discriminatory behaviour on the field, particularly given the high profile of the clubs involved and the prominence of the competition. Prestianni’s absence from the return leg will be felt by Benfica, which also faces the match without manager José Mourinho, who is himself serving a touchline ban.
Reactions from the football community have been strong. Real Madrid defender Trent Alexander-Arnold described the incident as a “disgrace to football,” while star forward Kylian Mbappé said Prestianni “doesn’t deserve to play in the Champions League anymore”, emphasising the gravity with which some players view incidents of alleged racial abuse in the sport.
Benfica, for its part, has criticised the timing of UEFA’s decision and expressed disappointment that Prestianni will be unavailable for the crucial second leg. The club has indicated it will appeal the ban, although it acknowledged that the appeals process might not be completed in time to overturn the suspension before the match in Madrid. Benfica also reaffirmed its commitment to combating racism and discrimination, highlighting its historical values and community efforts.
If UEFA’s final investigation ultimately finds Prestianni guilty of racially abusing Vinícius, he could face a substantially longer ban, with disciplinary guidelines suggesting a minimum 10-match suspension for confirmed discriminatory offences. For now, however, the provisional decision stands as UEFA continues its inquiry into the incident and gathers further evidence before reaching a final judgment.
The coming days are expected to be critical as UEFA’s disciplinary bodies review match reports, video footage, referee accounts and any additional submissions from both clubs before reaching a definitive conclusion. The outcome of the investigation could have broader implications not only for the player involved but also for how European football continues to address allegations of discriminatory conduct at the highest level of the game.