Alleged Racism in Lisbon: UEFA Probes Prestianni
Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Benfica on Tuesday, 19 February, has been eclipsed by allegations that Gianluca Prestianni racially abused Vinicius Junior.
The match was halted for ten minutes as referee Francois Letexier activated FIFA’s anti-racism protocol following the incident, which occurred shortly after the Brazilian’s winning goal at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal.
Prestianni denies the claims, stating Vinicius “regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard.”
However, Kylian Mbappe insisted he heard the slur repeated, stating, “This player doesn’t deserve to play in the Champions League anymore.”
Jose Mourinho’s response has intensified the fallout. The Benfica manager suggested Vinicius incited the crowd, remarking, “When you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back.”
These comments were labelled “gaslighting” by the charity Kick It Out, while pundit Clarence Seedorf argued Mourinho made a “big mistake to justify racial abuse.”
Vinicius Junior expressed his frustration on social media, writing: “Racists are, above all, cowards.” He also criticised the match protocol after receiving a yellow card for his celebration.
UEFA has now appointed a disciplinary inspector to investigate. If found guilty, Prestianni faces a mandatory ten-match ban.
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