Benfica complain to Uefa over Real Madrid midfielder's aggression | OneFootball

Amid the racism case involving Vinícius Júnior, Benfica has filed a complaint with UEFA’s Disciplinary Committee against Federico Valverde.

The Portuguese club accuses the Real Madrid midfielder of violent conduct due to an incident that occurred in the second half of the match between the two teams.

According to Portuguese newspapers A Bola and Record, Benfica expects UEFA to make a decision before the second leg of the Champions League playoffs. The decisive match will take place next Wednesday (25th) at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The incident that prompted the complaint occurred in the 83rd minute, when Valverde attempted to punch Samuel Dahl of Benfica during a challenge for the ball.

The referee did not call a foul and VAR did not review the play.

Complaints from the Portuguese side

The complaints from Benfica’s side are not limited to the incident with Valverde.

Coach José Mourinho, who was sent off in the second half, harshly criticized referee François Letexier after the match.

Mourinho claimed that the referee had notes indicating that Real Madrid players (Carreras, Tchouaméni, and Huijsen) could not receive yellow cards.

According to the coach, upon noticing this and alerting the refereeing team, he was sent off.

Racism case

The match at Estádio da Luz was also marked by a serious incident involving Vini Jr.

After opening the scoring with a stunning goal early in the second half and celebrating by dancing at the corner flag, the Brazilian was targeted by objects thrown by Benfica fans, which sparked outrage among the players.

In the ensuing confusion, the referee gave Vini Jr a yellow card while he was arguing with Argentine Prestianni of Benfica.

Soon after, the Real Madrid forward accused his opponent of racism.

Footage captured the moment when Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt during the argument.

After being insulted, Vini Jr ran toward the referee, who activated the anti-racism protocol by crossing his arms in an "X" to signal the incident to the stadium.

The match was halted for about ten minutes and resumed without any immediate punishments related to the incident.

Benfica considers punishing fans

Benfica reviewed footage from the match, both from the broadcast and internal stadium cameras, and identified fans making racist gestures—such as mimicking monkey movements—and chanting prejudiced songs against the Brazilian.

The club is now investigating whether these individuals are club members and promises harsh sanctions, which may include loss of privileges and permanent expulsion from the membership.

The Benfica board, however, continues to support forward Prestianni, trusting the athlete’s version of events.

Prestianni denies racism

In the sporting arena, Prestianni has submitted his official defense to UEFA. The Argentine denied calling Vini Jr. "monkey" (the Spanish word "mono"), claiming that the insult used was "maricón," a homophobic slur.

Kylian Mbappé, however, stated that the Argentine used the racist term against Vinicius five times.

The French star even reprimanded the Argentine player on the pitch and gave a strong post-match interview, calling for Prestianni to be banned from playing in the Champions League.

Regardless of the offense (racism or homophobia), UEFA’s disciplinary rules provide for penalties that can reach 10 matches or more of suspension for the Benfica player.

Additionally, FIFA is discussing strict punishment for players who cover their mouths during on-field arguments, an act Prestianni performed during the altercation with the Brazilian.

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

📸 PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA - AFP or licensors