Mbappé slams Benfica youngster: 'Shouldn't play in Champions League again'
PSG star Kylian Mbappé has called out Benfica's Prestianni for alleged racial abuse towards Vinícius Júnior during their Champions League clash.
Mbappé has launched a scathing attack on Benfica’s young winger Prestianni, accusing him of racial abuse towards Vinícius Júnior during their Champions League encounter.
Serious allegations
The French superstar didn’t mince his words in the mixed zone after the match, claiming he personally witnessed the 19-year-old Argentine repeatedly direct racist language at his teammate.
“The number 25 called Vini a monkey five times. I saw it myself,” Mbappé stated firmly, clearly shaken by the incident.
The allegations have cast a shadow over what should have been a straightforward post-match analysis, with Mbappé insisting that the result was secondary to addressing the alleged abuse.
”Not my colleague”
In one of his most powerful statements, Mbappé effectively disowned Prestianni from the footballing fraternity:
“This type of human is not my colleague in the profession,” he declared, before adding that the youngster “shouldn’t play in the Champions League again.”
Mbappé was particularly disturbed by the player’s youth, questioning how someone at the beginning of their career could behave in such a manner on football’s biggest stage.
Team solidarity
The incident apparently nearly led to a walk-off, with Mbappé revealing he had consulted with Vinícius about potentially abandoning the match.
“I asked Vini what he wanted to do. Whatever you want to do, we’ll do it as a team. We’ll never leave Vini alone,” he explained.
This show of solidarity demonstrates the growing resolve among players to take decisive action when faced with racism, rather than simply playing on.
Wider context
Mbappé was careful not to paint all Portuguese fans or Benfica as a club with the same brush:
“We shouldn’t generalize. I have Portuguese friends who treat me very well,” he clarified. “I have nothing against Benfica, the club or their manager, who I think is one of the best.”
He emphasized that many fans were booing without knowing what had occurred, and that his issue was specifically with the individual player’s alleged behavior.
Call for action
The ball is now firmly in UEFA’s court, with Mbappé calling for strong disciplinary action:
“Let’s see what UEFA will do. They always try to do things, and now they have a serious case. I hope they’ll do something.”
It’s another sad chapter in football’s ongoing battle with racism, but the united front shown by Mbappé and his teammates suggests players are increasingly unwilling to tolerate such behavior.