Prestianni Handed Six-Match UEFA Ban For Homophobic
Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has been handed a six-match suspension—three of them suspended—after UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) ruled that the Argentine directed a homophobic slur at Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League play-off first leg on 17 February. The verdict, delivered on Friday, closes a fractious two-month investigation that began with a walk-off, a 10-minute stoppage, and an accusation of racial abuse that proved far harder to prove.
The sequence that triggered the case has been recounted across multiple jurisdictions. Vinícius had just given Real Madrid the lead at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon when he celebrated near the Benfica corner flag. Television footage showed Prestianni, 20, covering his mouth with his shirt repeatedly before aiming remarks at the Brazilian. Vinícius immediately complained to referee François Letexier, who activated FIFA’s anti-racism protocol by crossing his wrists above his head. Real Madrid’s players walked off the pitch; the match was suspended for between eight and eleven minutes.
After the match, Vinícius posted on his Instagram account: “Racists are, above all, cowards.” His teammate Kylian Mbappé later stated he heard Prestianni call Vinícius a “monkey” five times. Prestianni flatly denied the accusation, writing on social media: “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard. I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”
In the weeks that followed, the case shifted dramatically. Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni relayed that Prestianni had told him he did not use a racial slur but had uttered a homophobic insult. Sources later confirmed that Prestianni repeated that admission to UEFA’s disciplinary inspector. On Friday, UEFA’s public statement cited “discriminatory (i.e. homophobic) conduct” as the sole basis for the six-match ban, effectively clearing the player of the racism charge.
The arithmetic of the sanction is nuanced. “To suspend SL Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni for a total of six (6) UEFA club and/or representative national team official matches for which he would otherwise be eligible, for discriminatory (i.e. homophobic) conduct,” the CEDB ruling read. Of those six matches, three are suspended for a two-year probationary period. One match—the provisional ban served during Real Madrid’s 2-1 second-leg victory on 25 February—has already been deducted. That leaves Prestianni with two active games to serve, provided he does not reoffend within the probation window. UEFA has also filed a formal request with FIFA to extend the suspension worldwide.
That global extension carries a World Cup-sized shadow. Prestianni earned his first senior Argentina cap in a November friendly against Angola and was included in Lionel Scaloni’s squad in March. Should FIFA approve the request, the two remaining matches of the ban would apply to Argentina’s opening fixtures at the 2026 World Cup in North America—against Algeria on 17 June and Austria on 23 June. If Scaloni opts to leave out the fringe winger, the sanction would instead be served in next season’s UEFA club competitions.
The disparity in UEFA’s disciplinary framework has already drawn scrutiny. Under Article 14 of the governing body’s regulations, any person who insults human dignity on grounds including race, religion, gender or sexual orientation incurs a suspension “lasting at least ten matches.” Had the racism allegation been upheld, Prestianni would have faced a minimum ten-game ban. That he received half that—after admitting to homophobic language—has prompted criticism from commentators who argue homophobic abuse continues to be treated less seriously than racist abuse.
Benfica, who earlier this year suspended five club members for acts of “a racist nature” during the same tie, acknowledged Friday’s sanction. “Of the three-match effective ban, one has already been served and the remaining two must be served in UEFA matches or Argentina national team matches in a FIFA context,” the club stated. Manager José Mourinho had previously warned that Prestianni’s career under him would be “over” if discriminatory abuse were proven, but the club has not indicated it will appeal the CEDB ruling.
The case has also spurred legislative ripples beyond the player. FIFA President Gianni Infantino declared that players who cover their mouths while speaking to opponents should be sent off, and the International Football Association Board (IFAB) has agreed to explore measures to penalise the gesture. That proposal is expected to be discussed at the FIFA Congress on 30 April.
For Prestianni, the immediate consequence is clear: a two-match active suspension, a two-year probationary leash and the looming possibility that his first two World Cup matches—should he be selected—could slip away before he ever steps onto the pitch.