Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has spoken publicly for the first time since being accused of racially abusing Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior, insisting he was punished “without evidence.”
The 20-year-old Argentine was suspended by UEFA after allegedly directing a racist insult at Vinicius during a Champions League match in February. The incident, which saw Prestianni cover his mouth with his shirt, prompted the referee to halt play for 10 minutes. UEFA later barred him from the second leg in Madrid and opened a formal investigation. If found guilty, he faces a minimum 10-match ban.
Prestianni told Argentine broadcaster Telefe that missing the second leg “hurt a lot” and denied the allegations. He said the accusations did not reflect his character and had caused pain to his family. “I was thinking about my father, my mother, my grandparents, about the fact that so many things were being said that don’t reflect who I am and that didn’t happen,” he explained.
The winger expressed gratitude to Benfica and his teammates for their support, describing coach Jose Mourinho as “a phenomenon.” Mourinho initially faced criticism for suggesting Vinicius provoked the alleged abuse with his goal celebration, but later clarified that if racism were proven, Prestianni would never play for him again.
Despite the controversy, Prestianni was recently called up by Argentina for international friendlies. He said the opportunity was the result of hard work and reiterated his dream of representing the Albiceleste at a World Cup.
The case remains under UEFA review, with the outcome likely to shape both Prestianni’s career and broader discussions about racism in football.
