For his part, 19-year-old Prestianni has taken to social media to vehemently deny the accusations, claiming that he has been misrepresented by the Real Madrid contingent. The Benfica youngster insisted that there was a linguistic misunderstanding during the heat of the match. “At no point did I direct racist insults at Vinicius Jr., who unfortunately misunderstood what he thought he heard. I have never been racist toward anyone,” he wrote.
Vinicius, who has frequently been a target for racial abuse throughout his career in Europe, expressed his frustration with both the player and the existing systems meant to protect athletes. In a raw and powerful statement, the Brazilian forward highlighted the cowardice he perceives in his abusers. "Racists are, above all, cowards and need to cover their mouths with their shirts to show how weak they are," he said. "On top of that, they are protected by those who should punish them. Nothing that happened today is new in my life or my family’s life. I received a yellow card for celebrating a goal, without understanding why. The protocol was barely executed and was useless. I don’t like being involved in situations like this, especially after a great victory, but it is necessary."