UEFA has handed Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni a six-match suspension after finding him guilty of discriminatory conduct following an incident involving Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during their Champions League knockout play-off clash at the Estádio da Luz.
The disciplinary decision, announced Friday, follows months of scrutiny over the February encounter that sparked controversy across European football.
The incident occurred during the first leg, which Real Madrid won 1 nil, after Vinícius scored and celebrated near the corner flag.
Tensions rose when Prestianni confronted the Brazilian in a moment that quickly drew attention, with television footage appearing to show the Benfica youngster covering his mouth while speaking.
Vinícius immediately alerted the referee, claiming he had been subjected to abuse, while teammate Kylian Mbappé later backed the concerns raised after the match.
The referee activated FIFA’s anti racism protocol, leading to a temporary 10-minute suspension of the game as officials assessed the situation. Though no red card was shown during the match, UEFA later opened a formal disciplinary investigation.
Prestianni was initially hit with a provisional one-match suspension that ruled him out of the return leg in Madrid while the case was reviewed.
Following the investigation, UEFA concluded the 20-year-old was guilty of discriminatory homophobic conduct and imposed a six-match ban.
Reports say Prestianni admitted using a homophobic slur during the probe but denied making any racial abuse, insisting the gesture of covering his mouth was simply a gesture while speaking.
The punishment has reignited debate around discrimination in football and UEFA’s handling of player misconduct, especially involving high-profile Champions League fixtures.
For Vinícius Júnior, who has repeatedly spoken out against abuse in football, the case adds to wider conversations about player protection and accountability across the sport.
