Prestianni gutted! Benfica kid left out because of... Vini Jr. | OneFootball

The case involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinícius Júnior has once again gained international attention after new information indicated that an episode that took place during a Champions League match had direct consequences for the makeup of a World Cup squad.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, the incident ended up weighing on Lionel Scaloni’s final decision, who left the Benfica winger out. The attacker’s absence is said to be linked to a punishment imposed after an episode of alleged racist abuse during a Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid.

The case reportedly caused major internal repercussions, with the relevant authorities assessing the player’s behaviour. The situation ultimately resulted in a suspension and had a direct impact at the crucial moment of selecting the World Cup squad, leaving Prestianni out of the tournament.

It is worth remembering that the Benfica forward received a total six-match suspension, although three of those matches were suspended for a period of two years. FIFA later accepted UEFA’s request to extend the punishment worldwide, allowing the player to serve the ban in both club and national team matches.

As he was not called up for the World Cup, Prestianni will now have to serve the suspension in European competitions while playing for the Eagles. Thus, the 20-year-old will be available for the second Europa League qualifying round ties, scheduled for 23 and 30 July.

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