Prestianni ‘to claim’ Vinícius Jr. called him dwarf in UEFA defence | OneFootball

Gianluca Prestianni is preparing a defence alleging Vinícius Jr. mocked his height by calling him a dwarf, which he says prompted his response during the first-leg incident. The Times reports that this forms part of the Benfica winger’s case to UEFA.

The flashpoint occurred in the first leg between Real Madrid and Benfica in the Champions League. Prestianni was accused of directing a racist insult at the Brazil international, allegedly calling him a monkey. He denied this and initially indicated to UEFA that he had used a homophobic slur instead.

Under UEFA’s disciplinary code, insults related to race or sexual orientation fall under Article 14. Provocations linked to physical characteristics, such as height or baldness, are treated differently.

Despite no conclusive proof about what was said to Vinícius, UEFA considers there are reasonable indications of a serious breach of human dignity. It has imposed a provisional suspension on Prestianni while the investigation continues.

Benfica face Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League play-off on Wednesday 25 February at the Bernabéu, kick-off 20:00.

Source: Glorioso 1904