Gianluca Prestianni has already provided testimony in UEFA’s investigation regarding his alleged racist remarks directed at Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League playoff match between Real Madrid and Benfica this week, according to sources who spoke with ESPN.
The governing body of European football is conducting an inquiry into the incident that occurred in the second half at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, Portugal, during a moment of confrontation following Vinícius‘s goal, which was the only goal of the match.
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The Madrid forward accused Prestianni of racially abusing him while obscuring his face with his shirt, causing a stoppage in play that lasted ten minutes.
According to sources cited by ESPN’s Bruno Andrade, the 20-year-old Argentinian has testified that he used the anti-gay slur “m——” in Spanish, rather than “mono,” which translates to monkey.
Immediately after the match, Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni stated on Spanish television that Prestianni had offered that explanation when confronted about the incident.
Real Madrid has submitted a comprehensive dossier of “all available evidence” to UEFA as part of the investigation.
Forward Kylian Mbappé provided a detailed account of what he observed and heard during the match, indicating that he personally witnessed Prestianni’s racial slurs directed at Vinícius on multiple occasions.
“I heard it,” Mbappé stated. “There are Benfica players who also heard it.”
Real Madrid coach Álvaro Arbeloa called for repercussions for Prestianni in a press conference on Friday, expressing hope that the case could represent a “turning point” in the fight against racism in football.
UEFA’s disciplinary regulations under Article 14 indicate that the punishment for both racial and anti-gay abuse is similarly structured.
“Any entity or person governed by these regulations who insults the human dignity of an individual or group based on grounds such as skin color, race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, or sexual orientation, faces a suspension lasting a minimum of ten matches or an equivalent disciplinary action,” the regulations state.