The situation surrounding Gianluca Prestianni, following the incident in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League between Benfica and Real Madrid, is reaching a resolution, although it remains controversial and could trigger further action, including a possible response from Prestianni against Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.
Prestianni, the Argentine forward, was accused by Vinicius Jr of directing racial insults toward him during training, including allegedly calling him “m*nk**.” The controversy generated immediate backlash on social media. However, Prestianni ultimately told UEFA what he claims he actually said to Vinicius, insisting that the remark was an insult but not a racist one.
Following the sanction imposed on Prestianni, his camp could seek justice if it is determined that no racist insult occurred, potentially accusing Mbappe and Vinicius Jr of defamation. The forward and his agent, Gaston Fernandez, are not satisfied with the decision and believe the punishment was rushed. Those close to the player say they are evaluating every possible action to defend his reputation.
In that context, Gianluca Prestianni is considering taking the case to higher authorities. According to Marcos Benito of Chiringuito TV, the Argentine is analyzing the possibility of filing complaints against Mbappe and Vinicius Jr with UEFA, FIFA, and even the Portuguese criminal courts if he determines that the accusations caused serious damage.
Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr of Real Madrid.
Prestianni’s suspension
After several days of preliminary investigation, UEFA decided to provisionally suspend the Argentine player. Prestianni will not be eligible to play in the second leg of the Champions League playoff for Benfica against Real Madrid, which takes place on Wednesday at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.
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For now, the former Velez Sarsfield player cannot be included by Jose Mourinho at Santiago Bernabeu, although Benfica’s executives remain confident that the ruling will favor Prestianni, as they believe there is no evidence regarding what allegedly occurred in the match that ended 1-0 in favor of Real Madrid in Lisbon.
If the outcome ultimately goes against Gianluca Prestianni, he could face up to a 10-match suspension if the accusation regarding what he allegedly said to Vinicius Jr is proven.
