What Has Been UEFA’s Response to Charges of Racism at the Estadio da Luz?
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has officially launched a disciplinary investigation into Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni over alleged racist remarks.
The knockout play-off encounter between Benfica and Real Madrid in Portugal was halted for 10 minutes on Tuesday night when Vinicius Junior refused to continue following an alleged racist remark made to him by Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.
The Brazilian winger, Vinicius Junior, gave the away side the lead and highly emotionally celebrated directly in front of Benfiquistas, for which French referee François Letexier booked him.
The Argentine winger, Gianluca Prestianni Gross, confronted Vinicius Junior, who pulled his shirt up over his mouth before saying some abusive statements to Real Madrid’s goal scorer.
The French international, Kylian Mbappe, was visibly enraged, prompting calls for the game to be abandoned if no action was taken. Mbappé gave a harsh review of what he saw on the pitch.
“This player (Prestianni) doesn’t deserve to play in this competition. We have to give the best example to youngsters; if we let go, then the values of football serve for nothing, and everything we believe in is for nothing. We have to do something,” Kylian Mbappe trumpeted.
A spokeswoman for the UEFA Communications and Media Relations Department stated that official reports from the match played on Tuesday night are now being analysed. If disciplinary sanctions are issued, they are publicly announced on the UEFA disciplinary website.
The disciplinary committee at UEFA confirmed on Wednesday that an investigation into the incident will be launched.
A statement read, “A UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to investigate allegations of disciplinary behaviour during the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 Knock-out Play-off between Club Benfica and Real Madrid on 17th February, 2026. Further information regarding this matter will be made in due course.”
