Luisão disputes Benfica’s account, accuses Prestianni of racism | OneFootball

Former defender Luisão has refuted the version presented by Benfica and the player Prestianni regarding the racist insult directed at Vinícius Júnior, the Real Madrid forward. Amid the controversy following the Spanish club’s 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of the playoff for a spot in the Champions League round of 16, Luisão took a firm stand in defense of the Brazilian player.

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Defense of Vinícius Júnior and direct accusations

Vinícius Júnior claimed he was called a “monkey” by the young Argentine Prestianni. However, both the player and the Portuguese club presented a different narrative, suggesting that the Brazilian forward may have misinterpreted what he heard. Luisão, however, did not hesitate to point the finger at the Benfica player.

“This shirt is very big, I love Benfica, it’s my second skin. You have to be worthy to wear the sacred mantle. This statement makes it worse because it’s a lie… football is won with grit, with fight… It was a racist act, yes, and I am ashamed of it,” wrote the former captain on his social media, expressing his outrage.

Criticism of protocols and lack of clarity

On his social media, Luisão also commented on the application of protocols in situations like this. He believes the issue goes beyond procedures and involves principles and clarity in actions.

“I’m kind of against it. It’s not about protocol, it’s about principles and being clear about what needs to be done. I’m not judging Prestianni, who was my player when I was a director, or Vinícius Jr. When life depends on protocol, nothing will ever be resolved,” he stated.

The former defender argued that racism, and other issues such as politics, lead people to hide behind protocols. He advocates that situations should be handled with clarity and that decisions should be transparent.

“If things are obvious, what’s the point of following protocol? That’s where my indignation comes from,” concluded Luisão, emphasizing the need to confront problems directly, without subterfuge.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.