Portuguese Government to investigate Vinicius-Prestianni incident following Benfica vs Real Madrid

The soccer world remains focused on the confrontation between Vinicius Jr. and Gianluca Prestianni during the first leg of the 2025-26 Champions League knockout playoff between Benfica and Real Madrid. After the Brazilian forward accused the Argentine midfielder of racial abuse, the Portuguese Government has intervened to open a formal inquiry into the case.

“Following reports appearing in the media regarding alleged insults and acts of racism directed at Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior during the match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF—the first leg of the UEFA Champions League playoff held at the Estádio da Luz—the Authority for the Prevention and Combat of Violence in Sport (APCVD) has initiated an administrative sanctioning procedure to clarify the facts,” the Portuguese government stated in an official release.

The incident occurred shortly after a Real Madrid goal, with Vinicius Jr. claiming that the Benfica midfielder used a racial slur while concealing his mouth with his jersey. Prestianni has responded decisively, denying any racist behavior, and has received the full backing of Benfica, who released a statement in support of their player.

Within the Real Madrid camp, Aurelien Tchouameni revealed that Prestianni allegedly called Vinicius a “m*nkey,” while Kylian Mbappe has urged UEFA to ban the Argentine from the Champions League.

Gianluca Prestianni of Benfica speaks towards Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid. (Getty Images)

With conflicting testimonies and a lack of clear video evidence due to the hidden exchange, the Portuguese Government’s intervention seeks to provide much-needed clarity.

FIFA Players’ Voice Panel weighs regulatory changes

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Benfica break silence after Real Madrid loss in Champions League by denying report of fight

Because this incident highlights a growing ‘blind spot’ in officiating—where only the players involved truly know what was said—the FIFA Players’ Voice Panel is now discussing potential sanctions for players who cover their mouths to deliver verbal abuse.

Panel member Mikael Silvestre told Sky Sports that the sport needs to address this conduct. “We need to sanction this type of behavior when a hand is placed in front of the mouth or they cover up using their jersey“, Silvestre noted.

While he acknowledged that amending the global rulebook is a complex task, he emphasized that “everybody is aware of the problem” following such a high-profile case.