Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior has accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni of racist abuse during the UEFA Champions League.
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Published February 18, 2026
UEFA will “investigate allegations of discriminatory behavior” after Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior accused Benfica’s Gianluca Prestiani of racial abuse during a Champions League match in Lisbon.
The first round of the playoffs on Tuesday was halted for more than 10 minutes after Vinicius complained to French referee François Letexier about the alleged abuse following his confrontation with Prestiani.
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It happened shortly after Brazil international Vinicius was given a yellow card after scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win, celebrating in front of his home crowd at the Estadio da Luz.
European sports governing body UEFA confirmed the investigation on Wednesday.
After an altercation with Prestianni, Vinicius ran to the referee and told him that the Argentine midfielder had called him “mono”, which means monkey in Spanish.
Prestiani, 20, who covered his mouth with his shirt as if to say something to Vinicius, denied racially abusing the Real Madrid star.
Real’s England full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold said the incident left a taste in his mouth.
“It’s disgusting. What happened tonight is a disgrace to football. It’s a ruined night for the team,” he said.
Real striker Kylian Mbappe has called for Prestiani to be suspended.
“We cannot accept that a player playing in Europe’s best competition behaves like this,” the France captain told reporters.
“This man does not deserve to play in the Champions League again.”
Benfica manager Jose Mourinho slammed Vinicius for inciting Benfica players and fans during the celebrations.
“When you score a goal like that, you celebrate with respect,” said the Portuguese.
British anti-discrimination group Kick It Out criticized Mourinho’s response, accusing him of “gaslighting”.
“When someone reports discrimination in football or anywhere, their first priority is to feel heard and supported,” the organization said in a statement.
“Not acknowledging the report and focusing on Vinicius Junior’s goal celebration and the history of the club is a form of gaslighting.
“This approach not only harms the affected individuals, but also sends the wrong message to people around the world who may have experienced similar situations.”
