UEFA has imposed a provisional suspension on Gianluca Prestianni. An investigation is currently underway into whether the Benfica player made racist remarks during the Champions League match against Real Madrid. As a result, the Argentine will miss the return leg in the playoff round.
UEFA has provisionally suspended Gianluca Prestianni after an incident involving Vinícius Júnior in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s away win over Benfica in the Champions League playoff round, with the European governing body currently examining whether the Benfica winger directed racist remarks at the Brazilian forward.
The case has quickly become the dominant talking point around the tie, shifting attention away from the football itself and placing renewed focus on UEFA’s ongoing efforts to combat racism and discriminatory behaviour in European competition.
According to the information released around the disciplinary process, the incident is alleged to have occurred during or immediately following the first leg, a match Real Madrid won 1–0 in Lisbon. The confrontation between Prestianni, a 20-year-old Argentine wide player, and Vinícius Júnior reportedly escalated enough for it to be highlighted and subsequently referred for review, leading UEFA to open a formal investigation. While the full details of the allegation and any supporting evidence have not been made public, UEFA’s decision to move forward indicates that the matter is being treated seriously under its ethics and disciplinary framework.
Because the investigation is not expected to be concluded in time for the return leg, UEFA has opted to impose a provisional suspension, effectively removing Prestianni from selection while the disciplinary process continues. That measure means he will miss the second leg of the playoff round, a match that will be played at 21:00 on 25-02-2026: Real Madrid vs Benfica. In practical terms, it also means the two central figures in the reported incident, Prestianni and Vinícius Júnior, will not come into direct contact on the pitch in Madrid while the case is pending.
UEFA’s provisional decision is understood to be based on an interim report prepared by the UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector, a step that usually signals that the incident has been evaluated at an initial level and deemed significant enough to warrant temporary action. The governing body also emphasised that such a suspension does not prejudge the final outcome of the case. In other words, the one-match ban is a holding measure rather than a definitive verdict, and it is designed to preserve the integrity of the process while evidence is assessed, reports are considered, and any relevant statements are reviewed.
For Benfica, the immediate sporting impact is clear. Prestianni is unavailable at a moment when the club is chasing a deficit and needs attacking options to overturn Real Madrid’s advantage. The tie remains finely balanced in scoreline, but Benfica will head into the Bernabéu needing to score at least once to level the aggregate and potentially force extra time, while also having to manage the threat of Real Madrid’s counter-attacking strength. Real Madrid, for their part, will approach the second leg defending a 1–0 lead, with the knowledge that discipline and game management are likely to be as important as flair if they want to protect their advantage and progress.
The case also feeds into the broader context around Vinícius Júnior, who has been the target of multiple high-profile racist incidents in recent seasons and has become one of the most prominent voices in football speaking out against discrimination. Any allegation involving racist language directed toward him inevitably draws intense scrutiny, both because of the seriousness of the issue and because of the wider conversation in European football about reporting, investigation timelines, sanctions, and the responsibilities of clubs and authorities. UEFA’s involvement at this stage underlines that the incident is being treated as a matter that extends beyond routine match discipline.
What happens next depends on the progress of UEFA’s investigation. The provisional suspension covers one match, but UEFA has made clear that the final disciplinary outcome could still lead to additional sanctions once the proceedings are completed. That could range from no further action if the allegation is not substantiated, to a longer ban and additional penalties if UEFA determines that a disciplinary offence occurred. Until that conclusion is reached, the case remains open, and the immediate headline remains that Prestianni will miss the decisive second leg, leaving Benfica to attempt a comeback in Madrid without one of their young attacking options, while Real Madrid seek to turn their first-leg victory into qualification.
