Prestianni handed six-match ban for insulting Vinícius Jr | OneFootball

Prestianni handed six-match ban for insulting Vinícius Jr | OneFootball

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·24 April 2026

Prestianni handed six-match ban for insulting Vinícius Jr

Article image:Prestianni handed six-match ban for insulting Vinícius Jr

The European governing body handed the Benfica Argentine a six-match suspension. Although the Brazilian reported racism, the punishment was imposed for homophobia after the footballer’s confession.

UEFA confirmed this Friday a six-match suspension for Gianluca Prestianni following the incident that took place last February 17 against Real Madrid. While Vinícius Jr. accused the Argentine of racist insults, the official statement clarifies that the penalty is for “homophobic discriminatory conduct”, after the Benfica player admitted his remarks before the tribunal.

The punishment is divided into two parts: he must serve three matches immediately (he already served one on February 25), while the other three are suspended for a probation period of two years. The top European governing body was blunt in considering that the action was negligent and violates the competition’s code of ethics.


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Article image:Prestianni handed six-match ban for insulting Vinícius Jr

A key point in the ruling is UEFA’s request to FIFA for the sanction to be extended worldwide. This puts the winger’s participation in the 2026 World Cup at risk.

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

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