UEFA has provisionally suspended Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni for the second leg of their Champions League knockout play-off against Real Madrid following accusations of racially abusing Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during the first leg on February 17, 2026.
In a statement released on Monday, February 24, 2026, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) confirmed the interim suspension after receiving an interim report from the appointed UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector (EDI).
The CEDB stated: “Following the appointment of a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector (EDI) to investigate allegations of discriminatory behaviour during the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 Knock-out Play-off match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF on 17 February 2026, and upon request of the EDI with an interim report, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) today decided to provisionally suspend Mr. Gianluca Prestianni for the next (1) UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible for the prima facie violation of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR) related to a discriminatory behaviour.”
The suspension applies specifically to the second leg against Real Madrid (scheduled for the week of February 24–25, 2026). Prestianni will miss the match unless the final disciplinary decision overturns or lifts the provisional measure.
The investigation remains ongoing; UEFA has not yet determined whether the allegation is proven or what additional sanctions (if any) will be imposed. Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations covers discriminatory behaviour, including racist insults, with potential sanctions ranging from fines and match bans to stadium closures and points deductions in severe cases.
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Background The allegation stems from an incident during the first-leg encounter at the Estádio da Luz, where Vinícius Júnior reportedly complained of racial abuse from Prestianni. The Brazilian forward who has faced repeated racist incidents in La Liga immediately raised the issue with the referee and UEFA match delegates.
Real Madrid issued a brief statement after the match condemning “any form of racism” and supporting Vinícius, while Benfica said they were cooperating fully with UEFA’s investigation and would await the outcome before commenting further.
The second leg will now proceed without Prestianni, adding further intensity to an already high-stakes tie between the two European giants.
This is a developing story. DDNewsOnline will provide updates as UEFA’s full investigation progresses.
By Akai Akeobong
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