On Tuesday, Rui Costa, the president of Benfica, addressed the Prestianni case ahead of the team’s trip to Madrid for the second leg of the Champions League playoff.
“I can’t speak to what happened on the field, as there are many claims made in situations like this. However, we trust our player’s word. Prestianni is being unfairly branded as racist, but I can assure you he is nothing of the sort,” the president stated in comments reported by ‘A Bola.’
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Rui Costa emphasized that Benfica has followed the necessary procedures during the ongoing UEFA investigation, asserting that “the player was defended when it was essential.”
“We believe that nothing has been substantiated, and there is no reason for the player’s exclusion from this match,” he noted.
Additionally, Rui Costa expressed that Fede Valverde should have faced repercussions for his aggressive behavior in the first leg, a matter Benfica has raised but UEFA has dismissed.
“One issue does not negate the other; we don’t aim to overshadow Prestianni’s case with other incidents. However, we must not overlook what occurred in the first leg. Valverde’s aggression was evident, and he should not be participating in this match,” Rui Costa concluded.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.