UEFA decided this Monday, February 23, to preventively suspend Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni for one game, following the controversy at the Estádio da Luz with Vinicius Júnior, from Real Madrid, during the first game of the play-off access to the round of 16 of the Champions League. This is a provisional suspension, as part of an ongoing investigation, but Prestianni is prevented from playing at the Santiago Bernabéu, in Madrid, in the return match, scheduled for this Wednesday (25).
“The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body has decided to provisionally suspend Gianluca Prestianni for one UEFA club competition match for which he would be eligible, for the violation prima facie of Article 14 of the Uefa Disciplinary Regulations (DR) related to discriminatory behavior”, informed the organization, following the alleged racist insult that the Benfica player had made against Vinicius Júnior.
Benfica “regrets being deprived of the player while the process is still under investigation and will appeal this decision by UEFA, even though the deadlines in question are unlikely to have any practical effect for the second leg of the play-off of the Champions League”.
“Sport Lisboa e Benfica also reaffirms its unwavering commitment to combating any form of racism or discrimination, values that are part of its historical identity and that are reflected in its daily action, in its global community, in the work of the Benfica Foundation and in major figures in the Club’s history, such as Eusébio”, reads the statement from the club da Luz.
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