Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior Accuses Prestianni of Racism; Benfica Midfielder Denies Allegations

Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior has spoken out against alleged racist abuse during his side’s 1-0 Champions League victory over Benfica, while Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni has denied any wrongdoing.

The incident occurred in Lisbon on Tuesday and led referee Francois Letexier to halt the match for around 10 minutes, with both teams temporarily leaving the pitch shortly after Vinicius scored. UEFA has since opened an official investigation into the claims.

In an Instagram post, Vinicius, 25, condemned racism, calling it cowardly. “Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are,” he wrote. “But they have the protection of others who, theoretically, have an obligation to punish them. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or in my team’s life. I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don’t understand why. On the other hand, it was just a poorly executed protocol that served no purpose.”

Prestianni, 20, responded via social media, denying any racist intent. “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard,” he said. “I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”

Benfica also defended their player, posting on their official X account with a video of the alleged incident: “As the images demonstrate, given the distance, the Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim to have heard.”

The second leg between the teams is scheduled for 25 February.