UEFA Comes Down Hard: Benfica's Prestianini Banned for 6 Matches Over Sexist Behavior Toward Vinicicius
UEFA banned Benfica forward Gian Luca Prestianini for six matches for sexist conduct directed at Real Madrid's Vinicius Júnior during a Champions League match in February.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has announced disciplinary action against Gian Luca Prestianini, a forward for Portuguese club Benfica, imposing a six-match ban for sexist conduct directed at Real Madrid striker Vinicius Júnior of Spain. The incident occurred during the first leg of the UEFA Champions League knockout playoff between Benfica and Real Madrid on February 17, when Vinicius reported to the referee that Prestianini had made racially discriminatory remarks. Prestianini denied the allegations at the time. UEFA subsequently appointed ethics and discipline officials to investigate the matter specifically, initially announcing a one-match provisional ban for the Argentine player, with potential additional sanctions pending upon completion of the investigation. Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni stated that Prestianini had told him his offensive language toward the Brazilian forward was of a sexual nature rather than racial in character. Ultimately, UEFA issued a final ban against Prestianini based on sexist behavior related to comments made during the match.
