UEFA have provisionally suspended Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni and the Argentinian player will miss Wednesday’s match against Real Madrid in the return leg of the Champions League’s Round of 32 after allegations that he racially abused Vinicius during last week’s first leg.
UEFA are still investigating this case and Prestianni could be facing a 10-match suspension if he is found guilty. UEFA added that this suspension was “without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies.”
Benfica issued the following statement.
_“The club regrets being deprived of the player while the process is still under investigation and will appeal this Uefa decision, even if the applicable timelines are unlikely to have any practical effect on the second leg of the Champions League playoff. Benfica also reaffirms its unwavering commitment to combating all forms of racism and discrimination—values that are part of its historical identity and reflected in its daily actions, its global community, the work of the Benfica Foundation, and major figures in the club’s history, such as Eusébio.”_