European football governing body, UEFA, is investigating allegations that Real Madrid’s player Vinicius Junior faced racial abuse from Gianluca Prestianni during the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 playoffs against Benfica on February 17. The incident occurred after Vinicius received a yellow card for an exuberant celebration following a goal against Benfica. Prestianni reportedly covered Vinicius’ mouth with his shirt and made remarks that the player deemed abusive.
Vinicius brought the issue to the attention of referee Francois Letexier, leading to a ten-minute halt in the match as UEFA’s protocol for handling accusations of racist abuse was followed. UEFA has confirmed that a review of the match is in progress, and if Prestianni is found culpable, he will face disciplinary measures. The governing body stated that official reports from the matches are under scrutiny, and any resulting disciplinary actions will be disclosed on the UEFA disciplinary website.
Following the game, Vinicius shared a photo on Instagram showing him celebrating near the Benfica corner flag. In his post, he condemned racism, calling racists cowards who resort to covering their mouths to hide their weakness. Despite the incident, Real Madrid emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over Benfica, thwarting Benfica’s chances of advancing to the next stage of the tournament.
