Benfica v Real Madrid referee on Prestianni case: when a player says... | OneFootball

François Letexier has finally decided to address the controversial episode involving Gianluca Prestianni and Vinícius Júnior in the match between Benfica and Real Madrid in the Champions League. The French referee explained how he experienced one of the most delicate moments of his recent career and believes he acted well.

"When a player tells me he was the victim of racist abuse, which I did not witness, I have to take into account what he tells me, but I cannot make a decision based solely on that accusation, that seems fair to me," he began by saying in an interview with RMC Sport radio.

The 36-year-old official also spoke about how he dealt with the situation. "This is a very atypical moment, when we do not have all the information. We have to make decisions without having all the facts on our side. In these situations, the most important thing is to gather as much information as possible and, above all, to take precautions. That was my priority", he said.

The referee also detailed the aim of his approach during the match at the Estádio da Luz. "It is necessary to formalize the situation, make everything clear to everyone and explain that the fact I did not witness the incident prevents me from taking disciplinary measures. That is how I tried to deal with it. In the end, the referee is a 'third party' in this type of context", he explained.

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