Kylian Mbappé has urged Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni not to attend the return leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off in Spain, following allegations of racist abuse during the first meeting in Portugal.
The Real Madrid forward made the remark after team-mate Vinícius Júnior claimed he was called a monkey during Tuesday night’s Champions League play-off clash in Portugal.
Kylian Mbappé said he heard the word used repeatedly from the direction of the Argentine winger, who has since denied making any racist comments.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Mbappé did not hold back. He said, “I think Gianluca Prestianni shouldn’t come to the Bernabéu, which is the best stadium in the world. He doesn’t deserve it, he shouldn’t play”.
Prestianni had since rejected the accusation. In a post on social media, the Benfica player insisted his words were misunderstood and denied making any racist comment during the heated encounter.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, confirmed it has launched an investigation into the incident. In a brief statement, UEFA said an “Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector” has been appointed to establish what happened during the match.
The controversy casts a shadow over the decisive second leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, one of Europe’s most historic venues.
