Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni expressed his disappointment with UEFA after being handed a one-match ban “without evidence” following allegations from Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior that he racially abused him.
In his first comments since the alleged incident during Benfica’s Champions League playoff against Real Madrid on February 17, Prestianni spoke to Telefe.
“I have never been racist, and I never will be. The most painful thing was being accused of something I didn’t do,” he remarked.
“I was punished for something I did not say, and there is no evidence to support it.”
UEFA subsequently suspended Prestianni for the second leg of the matchup, which ended with Real Madrid winning 2-1 and advancing 3-1 on aggregate.
“It hurt me greatly not being able to play in the return leg, but that’s behind me now,” he said.
UEFA’s ongoing investigation into Prestianni has not received further comments from the organization, as they stated they would not address his remarks due to the probe.
Benfica publicly condemned what it calls a “smear campaign” against Prestianni.
“I’m very grateful to my club for believing in me and supporting me in every way possible,” Prestianni added.
“I received immense support from the club and my teammates behind the scenes. [Benfica coach Jose] Mourinho is a wonderful person. I’ve spoken with him and my teammates to set the record straight.”
“I’m at peace knowing that those who know me understand what kind of person I am, and that’s enough for me.”
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At 20 years old, Prestianni is now focused on finishing the season strongly with Benfica to enhance his chances of being included in Argentina‘s World Cup squad.
After making his senior debut with Argentina in November, Prestianni was part of Lionel Scaloni’s squad for the March international window but did not play in recent victories against Mauritania and Zambia.
“I dream of playing in the World Cup,” he expressed. “Every day, I’m working to make that dream a reality. It’s an honor to be in this squad competing for a place. I believe I’m performing well at Benfica.”