Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni was seen training at Real Madrid's Bernabeu Stadium, even though he is suspended for the second leg of their Champions League playoff.
The Argentine forward is accused of racially abusing Vinicius Junior during last week’s first-leg match, shortly after the Brazilian scored the only goal in Real Madrid's 1-0 victory at the Estadio da Luz.
Both Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe claim to have heard Prestianni use a racist term, while the Benfica player has strongly denied the allegations.
UEFA has launched a full investigation into the incident. In the meantime, Prestianni has been handed a provisional one-match ban, ruling him out of the second-leg encounter.
Benfica have lodged an appeal against UEFA's decision. However, the club acknowledges that any successful appeal is unlikely to allow Prestianni to participate in the return match in Madrid.
Prestianni Spotted Training at Bernabeu Ahead of Second Leg
Despite his suspension, Prestianni has been pictured training on the Bernabeu pitch with his teammates, in the hope that he may still be eligible to play in the second leg.
Benfica president Rui Costa addressed the situation before the upcoming match, stressing the club’s support for Prestianni and his version of events.
"Prestianni is being accused of racism, but he is far from being racist. I can guarantee that," Costa said. "I cannot know exactly what was said or not said. What we believe is what Prestianni says; beyond that, it is about knowing our players."
Costa’s colleague, Jose Mourinho, also added fuel to the controversy last week, suggesting that Vinicius' celebration might have contributed to the reactions of fans and players. He also referenced Benfica legend Eusebio, who was black.
Mourinho’s remarks were widely condemned. Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois criticized both Mourinho and Benfica supporters during his pre-match press briefing.
"Mourinho is Mourinho, as a coach he will always defend his club and trust his player… but one thing disappointed me," Courtois said. "He used Vini's celebration as an excuse. Racism can NEVER be justified over a goal celebration.
"I saw videos of Benfica fans making awful gestures in the stadium—it was pathetic. I don’t know if Benfica will take action, but it was really disappointing."
What’s Next for the Prestianni Racism Case?
It is expected that Benfica will be without Prestianni for Wednesday’s second leg. UEFA’s investigation is unlikely to be concluded before the end of the month.
If the allegations are confirmed, Prestianni could face a suspension of up to 10 matches, similar to Ondrej Kudela in 2021.
Kudela was found guilty of racially abusing Rangers’ Glen Kamara while playing for Slavia Prague in a Europa League fixture. He also failed to overturn his suspension on appeal.
