Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni has denied all accusations of racially abusing Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior during their match on Tuesday.
Vinicius claimed that the Argentine player directed racist remarks at him, forcing the referee to halt the game before it resumed and Real Madrid won 1-0.
Kylian Mbappé asserted that Prestini called Vinicius a “monkey” five times and demanded severe punishment, including exclusion from the Champions League.
Prestianni addressed the media, responding to the allegations: “I want to make it clear that I never used racist language towards Vinicius Junior.”
He added, “Unfortunately, he misunderstood what he thought he heard. I have never been racist towards anyone. I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”
He added, “Everyone is pointing fingers at me because I cover my mouth with my shirt, even though they know all footballers cover their mouths when they speak. Stop making up lies.”
He concluded, “Accusing someone of something serious is not right, especially if it’s untrue.”
It’s worth noting that UEFA has announced an urgent investigation into the incident, and if the Argentine player is found guilty, he could face unprecedented sanctions to prevent such incidents from happening again on the pitch.
