UEFA has announced a provisional one-match suspension for Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni of S.L. Benfica following the controversy involving Vinícius Júnior during their recent UEFA Champions League encounter.
The incident occurred in the playoff round match between Benfica and Real Madrid on February 17, 2026. Vinícius alleged that Prestianni directed racist remarks toward him after the Brazilian forward scored against the Portuguese side.
UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body issued the temporary suspension after appointing an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate allegations of discriminatory conduct during the match.
According to UEFA’s statement, the provisional measure was taken following the inspector’s initial report, citing a prima facie breach of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, which addresses discriminatory behavior.
The decision means Prestianni will miss Benfica’s next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise have been eligible.
However, UEFA clarified that the provisional suspension does not prejudice any final ruling that may be issued once the ongoing investigation is concluded and the full report is submitted to the disciplinary authorities.
The case continues to draw significant attention ahead of the return leg, with UEFA emphasizing its zero-tolerance stance toward discrimination in European competitions.
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