The game in Lisbon on Tuesday was stopped for approximately 10 minutes after Vinicius informed referee Francois Letexier of alleged racist remarks. The Brazilian international and his team mates briefly left the pitch while the situation was addressed under Uefa's anti racism protocol.
Vinicius, who has faced multiple instances of alleged racist abuse throughout his career, later addressed the incident on Instagram. He wrote that racists are, above all, cowards. If Prestianni is found guilty following Uefa's investigation, he could face a minimum 10 match suspension from European competition. The Benfica player has denied directing any racist language toward Vinicius.
On Wednesday, Benfica issued a statement on their official X account defending Prestianni. The club shared a video of the alleged incident and argued that, given the distance involved, Real Madrid players could not have heard what they claim was said. Benfica added that they fully support Prestianni and believe his account of events.
The club emphasised that the player's conduct has consistently reflected respect for opponents, institutions and the values that define Benfica's identity. They reiterated their longstanding commitment to equality, inclusion and respect, describing these principles as central to the club's foundation and symbolised by the late Eusebio.
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho said after the match that he had been given differing accounts from Vinicius and Prestianni regarding what happened. Mourinho also criticised Vinicius for what he viewed as a disrespectful goal celebration and pointed to Benfica's history as evidence that the club does not tolerate racism.
The response from both the club and Mourinho has drawn criticism from anti discrimination organisation Kick It Out. Chair Sanjay Bhandari said Benfica and their manager had failed in their reaction, suggesting that the more appropriate course would have been to commit fully to cooperating with the investigation.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino said he was shocked and saddened by the alleged incident. He praised referee Letexier for activating the anti racism protocol and reiterated that there is no place for racism or discrimination in football or in society.
