SL Benfica Deny That Gianluca Prestianni Admitted To Insulting Vinícius Júnior

Portuguese media claim Prestianni admitted to teammates that he called Vinícius “monkey” during the playoff first leg. Benfica have strongly denied the report, insisting the player never made a racist comment.

Controversy has once again surrounded the European clash between SL Benfica and Real Madrid. Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã reported on February 26 that Gianluca Prestianni allegedly admitted to his teammates that he called Vinícius Júnior “monkey” during the first leg of the playoffs.

According to the report, the Argentine forward addressed the squad internally, offering explanations about the incident and insisting that he does not consider himself racist and never intended to make a racist remark. As per the outlet’s version, Prestianni sought to clarify the situation within the dressing room.

However, hours later, Benfica issued an official statement firmly denying the claims. The Portuguese club categorically rejected the suggestion that the player admitted to making a racist insult — either to his teammates or to anyone within the club’s structure.

It is worth recalling that UEFA announced Prestianni’s provisional suspension earlier this week, preventing him from playing at the Santiago Bernabéu. The precautionary measure is based on Article 14 of UEFA’s Disciplinary Regulations, which imposes strict sanctions — a minimum 10-match ban or a set period suspension — on any individual who violates human dignity on the basis of race, skin color, religion, ethnic origin, gender, or sexual orientation.

In their statement, Benfica also confirmed that the player apologized to his teammates for the incident and for the magnitude and consequences it generated, reiterating — as he has maintained from the outset — that he is not racist. The investigation remains ongoing while the controversy continues to unfold.