Prestianni Gets Six-Match Ban for Homophobic Conduct

Uefa has imposed a six-game suspension on Benfica’s 20-year-old winger Gianluca Prestianni for homophobic behavior during a Champions League play-off clash with Real Madrid in February. The incident, which occurred at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, led to a 10-minute pause in the match after Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr claimed Prestianni had racially insulted him.

Incident and Claims

Prestianni denied making a racist remark, insisting Vinicius had misunderstood his words. However, Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni reported that Prestianni confessed to directing a homophobic comment at the Brazil forward. This contradicts Prestianni’s earlier statement, prompting further investigation.

“Vinicius accused Prestianni of racial abuse, but the winger said he had misheard. Tchouameni added that Prestianni admitted to delivering a homophobic comment instead.”

The suspension includes two additional matches, building on a provisional one-game ban Prestianni had already served. The remaining three games are deferred for two years. Updates are expected as the case progresses. Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast for more insights.