Former Benfica greats on Prestianni case: no to provocation or excesses | OneFootball

Present at the match between former Borussia Dortmund and Benfica players (1-1), held last Wednesday, Nico Gaitán and Javier Saviola commented on the case in which Gianluca Prestianni is being investigated by UEFA for allegedly making racist insults against Vinícius Jr. in the match against Real Madrid (0-1), in the first leg of the play-off for a place in the Champions League round of 16.

“We do not support saying things that should not be said, but we also do not support provocations or exaggerations on the pitch,” said Saviola in statements given to the newspaper 'Marca' before the legends match.

Gaitán, who played for Atlético Madrid after leaving Benfica, shares Saviola’s view. “Only they know what happened,” he said. “The controversy that starts on the pitch causes people outside, who do not know what happened, to become upset. Then, it is very difficult to control 30 or 50 thousand people,” he told the same source.

The former Eagles number 10 therefore made an appeal to players in general. “It would be good if, on the pitch, we set an example, not only with cold campaigns, but especially when emotions are at their highest,” he said, with 'El Conejo' adding: “On the pitch, the player has to set the example.”

Saviola, who in Spain played for Barcelona, Real Madrid, Sevilla and Málaga, expressed regret. “It was a very beautiful game, but in the end everything was spoiled. Afterwards, people only talked about that episode,” he commented, while not forgetting the intensity on the pitch: “The players are in there going a thousand miles an hour and, sometimes, they do not realize it. But we always defend football above everything negative that may happen.”

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