UEFA has imposed a six-match ban on Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni for "discriminatory conduct" directed at Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during a Champions League tie in February. The ban, which FIFA has been asked to extend globally, consists of an immediate two-match suspension, with three further games suspended for two years. Prestianni has already served one match of the ban provisionally.
The investigation, initially focused on allegations of racial abuse made by Vinicius Jr, concluded that Prestianni's conduct was in fact homophobic. Vinicius Jr had claimed he was subjected to racial slurs during the first leg of the knockout play-off in Lisbon on February 17.
Prestianni has denied the accusations, suggesting Vinicius Jr misheard him. Benfica's appeal against an initial one-game ban was unsuccessful. The club and player have refrained from further comment pending UEFA's full written decision.
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The suspension applies to all UEFA club and representative national team matches. This ensures the ban carries significant weight across various footballing contexts.
Background:
The incident occurred during the Champions League play-off match on February 17 in Lisbon. Vinicius Jr, the target of the alleged abuse, had reportedly accused Prestianni of a racial slur after scoring. This led UEFA to initiate a disciplinary investigation into potential discriminatory behaviour. An ethics and disciplinary investigator was appointed by UEFA to examine the claims. Notably, Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni reportedly stated that Prestianni admitted to a homophobic comment rather than a racial one. Prestianni, 20, plays for Benfica and represents Argentina internationally.
