Benfica Denounce “Defamation Campaign” Amid Prestianni Racism Investigation

Benfica have accused critics of launching a “defamation campaign” against midfielder Gianluca Prestianni after UEFA opened an investigation into allegations he racially abused Vinicius Jr during Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.

The match in Lisbon was stopped for around 10 minutes after Vinicius reported alleged racist abuse to referee Francois Letexier. The Brazilian winger and his teammates temporarily left the pitch.

Vinicius, who has experienced multiple incidents of racist abuse throughout his career, later wrote on Instagram: “Racists are, above all, cowards.”

Prestianni has denied making any racist remarks. If found guilty, he could face a minimum 10-match suspension from European competitions.

In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Benfica backed their player and shared footage of the alleged moment. The club argued that, given the distance involved, Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claimed.

Benfica said they “fully support” Prestianni’s account and insisted his behaviour has consistently reflected the club’s values of respect toward opponents and institutions. The club also expressed regret over what it described as a campaign to damage the player’s reputation.

Mourinho and Clattenburg Comments Draw Criticism

Benfica manager Jose Mourinho faced criticism for post-match remarks in which he suggested Vinicius had been disrespectful during his goal celebration. Mourinho also said he had received differing accounts of the incident from both players.

Highlighting Benfica’s history, Mourinho referenced club legend Eusebio as evidence that Benfica is not a racist institution. The club reiterated its “clear and unequivocal” commitment to equality, respect and inclusion, describing those principles as central to its identity.

Former referee Mark Clattenburg, working as a pundit for Amazon Prime, apologised for comments made during the broadcast. He had said Vinicius had “not helped himself” and complicated matters for the referee.

In a message posted on X, Clattenburg acknowledged his remarks were “clumsy and not right,” adding: “Nothing justifies racism in sport or in life… I got it wrong, I’m sorry.”

Reaction from Anti-Discrimination Campaigners

Anti-discrimination organisation Kick It Out criticised both Benfica and Mourinho for their response.

Chair Sanjay Bhandari said the club had “failed” in its handling of the situation, arguing that a more appropriate reaction would have been to commit fully to cooperating with the investigation.

“It’s a natural inclination to want to believe your player,” Bhandari told BBC Sport, “but the reality is they didn’t hear it.”

He added: “The discrimination is one thing, the gaslighting is another.”

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he was “shocked and saddened” by the alleged incident and praised Letexier for activating football’s anti-racism protocol.

“There is absolutely no room for racism in our sport and in society,” Infantino said. “We need all the relevant stakeholders to take action and hold those responsible to account. No to racism, no to any form of discrimination.”