Benfica Winger Explains His Side of the Vinicius Row: ‘They Suspended Me Without Evidence’

Lisbon – When the Champions League playoff draw paired Benfica with Real Madrid, the storyline was supposed to revolve around which heavyweight would advance to the round of 16. Instead, the tie is now remembered for a flashpoint that pitted 18-year-old Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni against Madrid star Vinicius Jr. and ignited a debate about racism, cultural nuance and disciplinary process.

During the first leg, Vinicius told match officials that Prestianni had racially abused him, allegedly calling him a “monkey.” The claim drew immediate support from Madrid teammate Kylian Mbappe and triggered a formal complaint. With no audio or video evidence released publicly, UEFA nevertheless moved quickly: Prestianni was suspended for the decisive return leg, a sanction that helped shape the tie Madrid ultimately won.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the episode, Prestianni used the current international break to give his version of events. In an interview conducted in Argentina, the winger denied using any racist language and expressed frustration at being judged in what he considers a factual vacuum.

“I don’t know if I was paying that much attention to whether something was going to happen,” he said. “It hurt that they accused me of something I never did—that’s what hurt the most. I’m very calm because everyone who knows me knows the kind of person I am, and that’s enough for me.”

Prestianni, who joined Benfica last year and is regarded as one of South America’s brightest prospects, admitted the fallout extended beyond the pitch. “They suspended me without evidence, but it’s over now. I thought about my mom, my dad, and my grandparents having to hear so many things that aren’t true and never happened. It’s one thing for me—I’m a football player and I’m used to people talking—but it’s another thing for them.”

The Argentine youth international attempted to contextualise the on-field exchange by pointing to linguistic differences. “For us Argentines, it’s a normal insult to say ‘cagón’ or ‘maricón’…,” he noted, while stressing that the specific term “monkey” was never uttered. “It was something I didn’t say.”

UEFA has not commented further on the case since the suspension, and neither Madrid nor Benfica have released additional statements. For Prestianni, the priority is now regaining full fitness and re-establishing himself in Roger Schmidt’s squad as the Portuguese season enters its decisive stretch.

Whether the governing body will revisit the matter when the competition resumes next month remains unclear. What is certain is that a tie once framed in sporting terms has left a lasting mark on all involved—and reopened questions about how football polices language it cannot conclusively prove.