What Gianluca Prestianni Reportedly Told UEFA in Testimony Over Abuse Claim Involving Vinicius Jr
- Argentine star Gianluca Prestianni has reportedly given his testimony over the alleged abuse of Vinicius Jr
- The 20-year-old was caught in a heated exchange during the match between Real Madrid and Benfica
- Prestianni risks a ban between five and ten matches, forfeiture of games, if found guilty of the accusation
Argentine winger Gianluca Prestianni has reportedly shared his testimony to the European football governing body as investigations has commenced into the alleged racial abuse of Vinicius Junior.
The unfortunate incident occurred during the UEFA Champions League knockout playoff match between Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon.
Brazilian star Vinicius Jr scored the only goal of the match in the 50th minute, as his celebration caused outrage from a section of the fans, with the referee booking him for provocation.
Source: Getty Images
Five minutes later, Vinicius Jr accused Prestianni of racially abusing him before the restart of the match.
The Argentine covered his face with his shirt before speaking some words to Vinicus, as the 25-year-old approached the referee, prompting a stoppage of 10 minutes before the match continued.
Prestianni meets with UEFA
The former Argentina U19 player has already spoken to UFA investigators regarding the incident that happened during the second half of the game at the Estadio da Luz.
According to ESPN, the 20-year-old reportedly told UEFA that he used a different offensive expression, an anti-gay slur in Spanish.
Meanwhile, Benfica has offered full support for Prestianni during the investigation. The Portuguese club wrote:
"Benfica views, with a spirit of complete collaboration, transparency, openness and a sense of clarity, the steps announced today by UEFA, following the alleged case of racism that occurred in the game against Real Madrid.
"The club reaffirms, clearly and unequivocally, its historical and unwavering commitment to defending the values of equality, respect and inclusion, which align with the core values of its foundation and which have Eusebio as their greatest symbol.
"The club regrets the defamation campaign to which the player has been subjected," per Sky Sports.
Source: Getty Images
FIFA sends message to Benfica
The world football governing body has formally notified SL Benfica of the exact penalties that will be imposed on both the club and Gianluca Prestianni if they are found guilty under the ongoing racism investigation.
FIFA said the newly strengthened zero-tolerance policy on racism will be fully applied, with potential sanctions. The sanctions include:
- Points deduction.
- 5–10 match ban for Prestianni.
- €5–10m fine + additional penalties.
- Expulsion or relegation.
- Forfeiture of matches (including automatic disqualification from the next round if qualified).
- Severe competitive penalties for any repeat offences.
Fans react to Prestianni's testimony
@unfrustratedfan said:
"I thought he said he only called him friend/brother ? Very soon he’ll admit the truth."
@Felastick1 wrote:
"If that was his explanation. It doesn't hold water. Af first, it was I called him brother and it is another thing according to the report. If found guilty, they should sanction him heavily."
@ABSTemmy added:
"Admitting to a homophobic slur does not change the outcome. UEFA applies the same minimum ten-match suspension for both racist and anti-gay abuse. The investigation will decide based on the evidence."
Bassey suffers racism in England
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) published a statement after defender Calvin Bassey was racially abused on social media after his last game for Fulham.
Fulham eliminated Manchester United from the FA Cup in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in 120 minutes to reach the quarter-final of the competition.
Source: Legit.ng
