SL Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni will miss Wednesday Champions League play off second leg against Real Madrid CF after UEFA dismissed the club appeal against his provisional suspension over alleged racial abuse.
The incident stems from last week first leg in Lisbon, where Madrid secured a 1 0 victory. Vinicius Junior accused the 20 year old Argentine of calling him a monkey during the match, an allegation Prestianni strongly denies.
UEFA has launched an investigation into the matter and provisionally suspended the Benfica midfielder pending the outcome. In a statement released on Wednesday, the European governing body confirmed that the appeal filed by Benfica had been rejected and that the decision of its Control Ethics and Disciplinary Body dated 23 February 2026 stands.
As a result, Prestianni remains suspended for the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise have been eligible, ruling him out of the decisive clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.
During the first leg encounter, tensions flared when Prestianni was seen holding his shirt over his mouth while arguing with Vinicius. The Brazilian forward subsequently informed the referee of the alleged abuse, prompting a stoppage of approximately 10 minutes.
If UEFA concludes that racial abuse occurred, Prestianni could face a suspension of at least 10 matches under its disciplinary regulations.
The case has drawn significant attention amid ongoing efforts by European football authorities to combat racism in the sport. Real Madrid will now prepare for the return fixture without the controversy resolved, while Benfica must cope without one of their young midfield options in a crucial encounter.
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