The aftermath of Tuesday’s Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid continues to unfold. An investigation has been initiated regarding allegations of racist abuse directed at Vinicius Junior by Gianluca Prestianni, and another issue now seems poised to emerge.
During the 83rd minute of the game at Estadio da Luz, an incident involving Fede Valverde and Samuel Dahl saw the Benfica defender go down. Former referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez stated (via Diario AS) that the Uruguayan should have received a red card for throwing a punch.
Advertisement
“That’s a red card. He threw a punch without justification… Valverde should have been sent off, even if there was no contact.”
Benfica contends that Valverde should face dismissal, prompting them to submit the matter to UEFA, according to Diario AS. UEFA will now investigate whether the Real Madrid midfielder will receive a retrospective suspension.
Image via Marca
If it is determined that Valverde exhibited violent behavior toward Dahl, he could face suspension. While the nature of the potential punishment remains uncertain, the possibility exists that he would miss next week’s second leg at the Bernabeu if UEFA rules in favor of Benfica.
Advertisement
Prospects of Valverde’s Suspension
However, reports suggest that Benfica’s complaint may not lead to significant action. For UEFA to penalize Valverde, they would need to disregard the referee’s and VAR’s judgment, a scenario that has rarely occurred in recent history.
In the coming days, we will learn UEFA’s decision regarding Valverde, as well as the case involving Vinicius and Prestianni. Real Madrid will be closely monitoring the outcomes of both investigations.