‘Gianluca Prestianni Is Not Racist’ – Benfica President Hits Out at ‘Unfair’ Suspension After Vinicius Junior Clash

Benfica President Defends Gianluca Prestianni, Insists He Is “Not Racist” and Slams ‘Unfair’ UEFA Suspension After Vinicius Junior Incident

On the eve of one of the most delicate European nights of their season, Benfica have found themselves battling on two fronts — one on the pitch, the other in the court of public opinion.

At the centre of the storm stands a 20-year-old winger, Gianluca Prestianni.

And at the front of his defence stands club president Rui Costa.

Following UEFA’s decision to hand Prestianni a provisional one-match suspension after his heated clash with Vinicius Junior during the first leg in Lisbon, Costa did not mince his words. Speaking before the squad’s departure for Madrid, the former playmaker launched a passionate defence of his player, insisting in no uncertain terms:

“Gianluca Prestianni is not racist.”

It was not a throwaway line. It was a statement of position. And it sets the tone for what promises to be a charged return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The Flashpoint: Prestianni and Vinicius Junior

The controversy stems from an explosive moment during Benfica’s first-leg encounter with Real Madrid CF at the Estádio da Luz. Shortly after Vinicius Junior opened the scoring for the visitors, tensions flared between the Brazilian forward and Prestianni.

The exchange was intense. Words were traded. Emotions ran high, as they often do in Champions League knockout football. But what followed escalated matters far beyond the usual touchline theatrics.

Allegations emerged suggesting that Prestianni had directed racial abuse at Vinicius — a player who has tragically become no stranger to racism in European football. Given the wider context and the sensitivity surrounding any such accusation, UEFA moved swiftly, opening an investigation and imposing a provisional one-match suspension on the Argentine winger.

For Benfica, the timing could hardly have been worse.

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Rui Costa’s Firm Stance: “Unfair” and Premature

Rui Costa, a figure who commands respect both in Portugal and across Europe due to his distinguished playing career — including memorable spells at AC Milan — was careful but clearly frustrated in his response.

“I wasn’t on the field to know what was said or not said; in a situation like that, a lot can be said,” Costa admitted. “We believe our player’s word, who is being labelled a racist, but he is anything but racist.”

It was a measured defence, but a resolute one.

Costa’s core grievance appears to revolve around the perception that Prestianni’s reputation is being tarnished before the full investigative process has concluded. He stressed that the club had chosen not to speak publicly while the case was ongoing, only breaking silence once UEFA’s provisional decision had been announced.

“We always defended the player, we always kept the player informed of everything we were doing,” he added. “I’m only speaking now because there was a decision — even if not final and even if unfair, in our perspective.”

For Benfica’s hierarchy, the suspension feels like a presumption rather than a conclusion.

No Sentence, Just a Suspension

Costa was keen to underline a technical but important distinction: there has been no final sentence.

“In the end, there was no sentence; there’s only a suspension,” he noted. “There was no point in talking about a matter that was still in process.”

The nuance matters. UEFA’s provisional action is designed as a precaution while investigations continue. Yet in modern football, perception often travels faster than verdicts. Headlines have already circulated. Social media narratives have formed.

For a 20-year-old player still carving out his reputation on the European stage, that weight can be heavy.

Benfica’s leadership appear determined to ensure Prestianni does not carry it alone.

Benfica Point to Fede Valverde ‘Aggression’

While defending their winger, Benfica also raised concerns about what they view as inconsistent disciplinary standards.

Costa referenced an incident in the same match involving Federico Valverde and Benfica’s Samuel Dahl. According to the Portuguese side, Valverde threw a punch in an attempt to break free from Dahl’s tight marking — an act Benfica consider clear aggression.

Despite complaints lodged with UEFA, Valverde has not been suspended and is expected to feature in the return leg.

Costa was careful not to frame it as a direct trade-off but made his point plainly:

“One thing does not eliminate the other and we do not want to use the other case to annul the Prestianni situation,” he said. “But we cannot forget what happened in the home game. There is a clear aggression from Valverde, who should be out of this game.”

It is, in essence, a plea for parity.

Benfica are not asking for favours. They are asking for consistency.

The Mourinho Absence Adds to the Challenge

As if the backdrop were not complicated enough, Benfica will also be without their head coach on the touchline for the return leg.

Jose Mourinho, a former Real Madrid manager himself, was sent off in the first leg and must now watch from the stands as his team attempt to overturn a 1-0 aggregate deficit at the Santiago Bernabéu.

For Mourinho, the setting carries personal history. For Benfica, it represents a mountain to climb.

Costa did not shy away from acknowledging the scale of the task.

“There is no need to point out the degree of difficulty that this game has,” he admitted. “Reversing the result at the Bernabéu is of a very high degree of difficulty.”

That may be the understatement of the week.

Belief Despite the Storm

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Yet amid the controversy and disciplinary setbacks, Benfica’s president projected calm determination.

“Ambition and belief are unshakable,” Costa insisted. “We’ve already tasted it this year.”

He was referring to Benfica’s earlier victory over Real Madrid during the league phase of the competition — proof, in his eyes, that the Spanish giants are not invincible.

The message to the squad is clear: block out the noise, focus on football.

But that is easier said than done when accusations of racism hang in the air.

A Wider Context

It would be irresponsible to ignore the broader implications of such allegations, especially when they involve Vinicius Junior — a player who has been subjected to repeated racist abuse in various stadiums across Spain.

Any suggestion of similar conduct must be treated with seriousness and transparency.

At the same time, principles of fairness and due process remain essential. Benfica’s stance is not one of dismissal but of defence — defence of a player they believe has been prematurely judged.

The final outcome of UEFA’s investigation will shape how this episode is remembered.

For now, it remains unresolved.

A Night of Reckoning at the Bernabéu

When Benfica step onto the pitch in Madrid, they will do so without Prestianni and without Mourinho on the sideline. They will also do so under a cloud of controversy.

But European football has a way of compressing narratives into 90 minutes.

A single goal can shift momentum. A single moment can rewrite perception.

For Rui Costa, the objective is simple: protect his club, protect his player, and compete with dignity.

“Let’s play this game with all our weapons, hoping to be able to do our job,” he concluded.

The subtext is clear.

Benfica believe Gianluca Prestianni is not racist. They believe the suspension is unfair. And they believe that, even amid adversity, they can still fight their way back into this tie.

Whether football grants them that redemption on the grand stage of the Santiago Bernabéu remains to be seen.