Prestianni 'deeply offended' by Vinícius accusations and ready to face Real Madrid at the Bernabéu
Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni has apologised to teammates over the racism row with Vinícius but insists he's done nothing wrong — and he wants to play at the Bernabéu.
The Vinícius racism row just won’t lie down, and with the second leg at the Bernabéu on 25 February, it’s only going to get louder from here.
What’s actually gone on
If you’ve been following this one, you’ll know the basics: during Benfica’s 0-1 home defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 first leg, Vinícius accused Benfica’s Argentine winger Gianluca Prestianni of racially abusing him — specifically, calling him a monkey. Mbappé also claimed Prestianni used the slur five times. UEFA launched an investigation almost immediately.
Prestianni, for his part, has consistently denied the racist abuse allegation. His agent, Gastón Fernández, went as far as saying everything published in the UEFA investigation is false.
What Prestianni is actually saying he said
Here’s where it gets complicated. According to reports, Prestianni told UEFA investigators that he did say something — but that it was a homophobic slur, not a racist one. He reportedly claims he called Vinícius a “maricón” (a homophobic slur), not “mono” (monkey).
Not exactly a great defence, that, is it? Swapping one form of abuse for another isn’t the get-out-of-jail-free card some might think it is.
Tchouaméni actually addressed this after the match, saying: “We were told the lad said ‘monkey’ with his shirt covering his mouth. Then he says he said nothing, that he said ‘maricones’, but it doesn’t matter.”
The dressing room situation
Despite the circus around him, Prestianni sat out Benfica’s 3-0 win over AVS in the Primeira Liga due to suspension — but he used the time to clear the air internally. Portuguese outlets A Bola and Record both report that before training, he:
- Apologised to his Benfica teammates for any disruption caused
- Reiterated to them that he did not racially abuse Vinícius
- Confirmed he is “deeply offended” by Vinícius’s accusations against him
So there’s no falling out with the dressing room, by the sounds of it. The lads seem to have his back.
Eyes on the Bernabéu
Here’s the bit that makes this second leg absolutely unmissable: Prestianni has told Benfica he’s fit and ready to play on Tuesday night. Benfica travel to the Santiago Bernabéu needing to overturn a one-goal deficit, and their Argentine winger — currently under UEFA investigation — could be lining up against the very player who accused him.
The atmosphere at the Bernabéu is going to be absolutely electric. Whether Prestianni starts or not, the subplot here is enormous. Real Madrid will be favourites to go through, but Benfica aren’t exactly a soft touch, and if Prestianni plays, every single moment between him and Vinícius is going to be scrutinised to within an inch of its life.
One thing’s for certain — Tuesday night is must-watch telly.