The Champions League night began like any other, but soccer was not the real star of the show. A controversy erupted after Vinícius Jr. scored Real Madrid’s only goal in their 1-0 victory over Benfica.
Specifically, racist behavior toward Vini was reported due to an alleged comment by Gianluca Prestianni. However, what caught the attention was his wallpaper before the match: a photograph of the two of them.
Prestianni: his wallpaper with Vinícius
Amid the controversy, a curious detail has emerged that occurred before the match. According to Olé, Prestianni played the round of 16 match with a photograph of him and Vini on the last day of the Champions League qualifying phase as his cell phone wallpaper.
In a clip shared by Benfica’s official account showing the team’s trip to Ponta Delgada, where they played their last match in the Portuguese League (a 2-1 victory), one shot focused on Nicolás Otamendi sitting next to Prestianni, chatting and laughing. However, the clip shows the young Argentine’s cell phone and, of course, his curious wallpaper.
This situation is striking, almost ironic, given that shortly afterwards Gianluca himself would be at the center of a controversy with Vini on the field.
This match was marred by controversy as the Argentine allegedly called the Brazilian a “mono [monkey]” five times while covering his mouth with his shirt, according to Kylian Mbappé, after Real Madrid took the lead with a goal from Vinícius in the 50th minute of the match.
After the goal, Vini celebrated with his characteristic dance in the corner, an action that first earned him a warning from the referee and then a yellow card for his protest. Several objects were thrown onto the field from the stands, and Real Madrid players reproached Benfica fans for their behavior. However, the situation escalated when several Benfica players went to confront Vinicius and Argentine Prestianni went directly to him.
The number 7 quickly went to report to François Letexier the racist comments that Gianluca had allegedly made against him. The referee activated UEFA’s anti-racism protocol and the match was stopped for a few minutes.
The Argentine player denied the allegations and claimed that what he said to the Brazilian had been “misinterpreted,” a claim that Benfica backed up. On the other hand, figures such as Mbappé and Federico Valverde, and even the official account of the Brazilian Football Confederation, have supported Vinícius and demanded sanctions.
The truth is that, if the racism is confirmed, Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations states that Prestianni could be banned from European competitions for a long period: he could be suspended for a minimum of 10 matches for insults that violate human dignity and receive additional financial penalties depending on the severity.
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