Uefa Suspends Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni for Vinícius Júnior Incident, Appeal Lodged
Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni has received a one-game suspension from Uefa due to allegations of racist abuse against Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior. The club plans to appeal the provisional ban, which will cause Prestianni to miss the second leg of their Champions League tie.
The incident led to a significant delay in the first match and the activation of Uefa’s anti-racism protocol. Both the player and the club deny the accusations, calling it a ‘smear campaign’ as Uefa continues its investigation.