Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Benfica in the first leg of their 2025-26 Champions League knockout playoff was overshadowed by an incident between Vinicius Jr. and Gianluca Prestianni, in which the Brazilian accused the Argentine of racial abuse. Several voices have spoken out regarding the incident that has the entire soccer world talking, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino being the latest to speak out on Vinícius’s allegations.
Real Madrid players spoke about the incident, such as Federico Valverde, who stood up for his teammate in his post-match interview, and Kylian Mbappe, who strongly called for Prestianni to be banned from the UEFA Champions League.
However, Prestianni responded decisively to those racism allegations, stating that “accusing someone of something so grave is not right, especially when it’s unfounded,” after having pointed out that he never said anything racist to Vinícius and that the Brazilian misinterpreted what he thought he heard.
Gaston Fernandez, Prestianni’s agent, took to social media to provide his client’s perspective on the heated exchange. Fernandez argued that the confrontation was a result of the high-stakes environment and claimed Vinicius Jr. was provoking the home crowd.
Addressing the fact that Prestianni covered his mouth during the argument—a move Real Madrid players cited as proof of guilt—Fernandez dismissed the suspicion as a common tactical move in modern soccer.
“There are millions of images where footballers cover their mouths with jerseys or their hands so their lips cannot be read. From there to a racial incident, it seems to me there are many ways to try and take an advantage. I believe in and trust Gianluca because he has the knowledge and professionalism to behave as an elite footballer. Let’s be fair and put the show aside. Only Prestianni and Vinícius know what was said,” he concluded.
Tension mounts ahead of return leg
The atmosphere for the return leg on February 25 at the Santiago Bernabeu is expected to be incredibly hostile for the visiting Portuguese side. However, the availability of Prestianni in Benfica for that match remains in question, UEFA has yet to make a decision regarding the incident
However, UEFA has officially broken its silence, appointing an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to lead a thorough investigation. A ruling on potential sanctions could be handed down before the teams kick off in Madrid next Wednesday.