UEFA has suspended Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni for six matches—three of which are suspended for a two-year probation period following a disciplinary case involving homophobic conduct during a Champions League fixture against Real Madrid.
The 20-year-old came under investigation after Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior alleged he had been subjected to discriminatory abuse during the Champions League play-off tie on February 20.
The governing body initially opened a probe into possible racist behaviour, but concluded its disciplinary process by sanctioning Prestianni for homophobic conduct instead.
Prestianni denied the allegations, insisting on social media that he did not direct racist insults at Vinícius Júnior and claiming the Brazilian forward had “misunderstood what he thought he heard.”
He also said he was not racist and complained about receiving threats from Real Madrid players following the incident.
UEFA’s ruling means Prestianni will serve part of the suspension immediately, having already missed the second leg of the tie in Madrid after being provisionally suspended.
The remaining punishment includes suspended matches under a two-year probation period, with any further breach potentially activating the full sanction.
The suspension applies to all UEFA competitions, including the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. UEFA has also requested FIFA to extend the ban worldwide, though the global governing body has yet to confirm whether it will comply.
The incident occurred shortly after Vinícius Júnior scored the only goal of the match, after which referee François Letexier briefly stopped play and activated FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol following reports of alleged abuse from the pitch.
In the aftermath, tensions escalated between the clubs. Benfica publicly backed Prestianni’s version of events and reaffirmed its commitment to anti-discrimination values, while Real Madrid players, including Kylian Mbappé, reportedly claimed they heard offensive language directed at Vinícius.
The case also sparked wider debate across European football, with disciplinary bodies, coaches, and anti-racism organisations weighing in on the incident and its handling.
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