The second leg of the Champions League clash between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF will take place without Gianluca Prestianni after European football’s governing body, UEFA, turned down Benfica’s appeal against his suspension.
The Argentine winger had received a provisional one-match ban following allegations of racist abuse raised by Vinícius Júnior during Real Madrid’s 1-0 win in the first leg of the knockout play-off round in Lisbon.
Benfica challenged the ruling but admitted it was unlikely to change the outcome before Wednesday’s return fixture at the Bernabeu.
UEFA confirmed that the suspension would remain in force while a full investigation continues.
The governing body said an ethics and disciplinary inspector is reviewing the case, and additional sanctions could still be imposed on the 20-year-old depending on the findings.
Prestianni trained with his teammates at Real Madrid’s stadium on Tuesday in the hope the ban would be lifted in time for the game, but the Appeals Body dismissed the request.
Therefore, he will miss the upcoming European match and could face further punishment once the investigation ends.
The player has consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting he did not direct racist comments at Vinícius.
UEFA stated that available evidence was sufficient to establish a prima facie case regarding the use of discriminatory language, justifying the temporary suspension while inquiries proceed.
During the first leg, Vinícius reported the alleged incident to referee François Letexier, leading to a 10-minute pause as players left the pitch. The Brazil international had earlier been shown a yellow card for celebrating in front of Benfica supporters after scoring the match-winning goal.
Following the game, Benfica manager José Mourinho criticised Vinícius’ celebration, calling it disrespectful and provocative. His remarks were met with backlash, with former Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf arguing that attempting to justify accusations of racism was a serious mistake.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also defended Vinícius, stating that the celebration should not be used to excuse allegations of discriminatory behaviour.
He urged society to approach such issues with greater common sense and avoid rationalising conduct that could be deemed unacceptable.
