Benfica to appeal UEFA provisional one-match ban for Gianluca Prestianni | OneFootball

The club said in a statement that it will appeal UEFA’s provisional one-match suspension of Gianluca Prestianni, lamenting being without the player while the case is investigated and noting that timelines are unlikely to allow any practical effect before Wednesday’s second leg of the Champions League play-off.

The ban follows an incident during last Tuesday’s match against Real Madrid, which is under investigation after Vinícius Júnior alleged the Benfica player used a racist insult.

Benfica also reiterated its unwavering commitment to tackling all forms of racism and discrimination, saying these values are part of its historic identity and reflected in its daily work, its global community, the Benfica Foundation and club greats such as Eusébio.

Without the Argentine winger, Benfica are preparing for the return against Real Madrid on Wednesday, 25 February, at the Bernabéu in Madrid, with kick-off at 20:00.

They aim to reach the Champions League last 16.

Source: Glorioso 1904