Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni provisionally suspended over racist abuse of Vini Jr | OneFootball

UEFA has provisionally suspended Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni for alleged racist abuse of Vini Jr following the Champions League play-off on 17 February 2026.

According to Fabrizio Romano, UEFA notified Benfica on Monday 23, so Prestianni will miss at least the next game against Real Madrid.

An Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector was appointed to investigate the allegations. On that request, the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body imposed a provisional one-match UEFA club suspension for a prima facie breach of Article 14 on discriminatory conduct, pending the outcome of the ongoing case.

On 17 February, Vini Jr scored early in the second half to seal Real Madrid’s win at Benfica. He celebrated by dancing, which angered several home players and sparked a confrontation.

During the flashpoint, Prestianni was among those who approached him and allegedly called him “macaco”. The referee activated the anti-racism protocol and stopped the match in Lisbon.

The return leg of the 2025/2026 play-offs is on Wednesday 25 at the Santiago Bernabéu, with kick-off at 17h (Brasília time).

Source: Coluna Do Fla