TChampions League night started like any other, but the real star of the show wasn’t the football. Controversy erupted after Vincius Junior scored the only goal in Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Benfica.
Specifically, there were reports of racist behavior towards Vini due to alleged comments made by Gianluca Prestianni. However, it was the pre-match wallpaper that drew attention, namely a photo of the two of them.
Vinicius Junior tells referee and Jos Mourinho that Prestiani racially insulted him
Prestiani: Wallpaper with Vincius
Amidst the controversy, some interesting details about what happened before the match have come to light. According to Orr, Prestiani played in the Round of 16 match on the final day of Champions League qualifying with a photo of himself and Vini as his phone wallpaper.
In a clip shared by Benfica’s official account of the team’s trip to Ponta Delgada, where they played their last match in the Portuguese league (2-1 win), a shot focused on Nichols Otamendi sitting next to Prestiani, chatting and laughing. However, this clip shows the young Argentine’s cell phone and, of course, his curious wallpaper.
This situation is surprising, almost ironic, considering that shortly afterwards Gianluca himself finds himself at the center of an on-field dispute with Vini.
After Real Madrid took the lead with Vincius’ goal in the 50th minute, the match sparked controversy after coach Kylian Mbapp said the Argentine player reportedly called the Brazilian a “mono” five times while covering his mouth with his shirt.
After the goal, Vigni celebrated with a characteristic dance in the corner, an act that first earned him a warning from the referee and then a yellow card for protest. Several objects were thrown onto the field from the stands, and Real Madrid players condemned the Benfica fans’ actions. However, the situation escalated further when several Benfica players confronted Vinicius and Argentine Prestianni went head-to-head with Vinicius.
The No. 7 immediately went to Franois Letexier to report the racist comments that Gianluca had allegedly made towards him. The referee invoked UEFA’s anti-racism protocols and the match was suspended for several minutes.
The Argentine denied the allegations and claimed that what he said to the Brazilian was “misunderstood”, a claim supported by Benfica. Meanwhile, figures such as Mbapp, Federico Valverde and even the official account of the Brazilian Football Federation have backed Vincius and called for sanctions.
The truth is that if racism is confirmed, Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations states that Prestiani could be banned for an extended period from European competitions. Insults that violate human dignity are punishable by a minimum suspension of 10 games, with the possibility of additional financial fines depending on the severity.
