‘I was punished without evidence!’ - Gianluca Prestianni breaks silence on Vinicius Junior racism allegations following Benfica’s Champions League exit

Prestianni made his position absolutely clear regarding the controversial incident from February. Following a goal from Vinicius, celebrations sparked a heated confrontation between the Madrid and Benfica players.

The Brazilian accused the forward of using a racial slur, leading to a pause in the game and later a swift suspension from UEFA. He missed the crucial second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu as Benfica, who had already suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first leg, crashed out of the competition with a 2-1 loss in the return. Addressing the severe toll the situation took on his loved ones, Prestianni insisted the governing body rushed to judgement.

The former Velez Sarsfield talent expressed deep frustration over how the situation was handled. Because the allegations struck so close to home, he did not hold back when discussing the fallout. Addressing the emotional impact, he stated: "I thought about my mom, my dad, and my grandparents having to hear so many things that aren't true and didn't happen. It’s one thing for me, as a footballer I’m used to people talking, but it’s another thing for them.

"It hurt me that they treated me as something I never was; that was what hurt the most. I am very calm because everyone who knows me knows what kind of person I am and that is enough for me. I was punished without evidence but it’s over now."

Tempers flared during the exchange, with other Madrid stars joining the verbal battle. Prestianni revealed Kylian Mbappe also targeted him. "I heard [Mbappe calling him a 'f*cking racist'] and for us Argentines that is a normal insult," he explained.

"They call me a racist when I never was and never will be. He insults to get you out of the game but I would never react; on the contrary, the idea is to show it on the pitch."

Seeking to explain the linguistic differences, he claimed it is a normal insult for Argentines to say certain terms while categorically stressing he did not use the word "monkey" as alleged.

Following their European exit, Benfica have now been eliminated from all knockout competitions this season. Manager Jose Mourinho faces an uphill battle, as the club have slim hopes of winning the Liga Portugal. They currently sit third in the table with 65 points after 27 matches, trailing leaders Porto by seven points, while second-placed Sporting also have 65 points but hold a game in hand.

As for Prestianni, UEFA has not yet announced a decision following their investigation, though the club were punished due to the behaviour of their fans during the controversial first leg against Madrid.