Official: UEFA suspends Gianluca Prestianni for second leg against Real

UEFA has decided not to risk allowing Prestianni to play, following the controversy that erupted in the first leg.

Details: Today, UEFA’s press office released an official statement announcing that Benfica’s 20-year-old winger Gianluca Prestianni has been suspended for one Champions League match.

This means the Argentine will miss the crucial Champions League play-off return leg against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.

According to UEFA, the reason for the suspension is that there are sufficient prima facie grounds to believe Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR), relating to discriminatory behaviour, was breached in the first leg of the Champions League play-off against Real’s Vinícius Júnior.

№Provisional suspension of SL Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni

Following the appointment of a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector (EDI) to investigate allegations of discriminatory behaviour during the UEFA Champions League 2025/2026 Knock-out Play-off match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF on 17 February 2026, and upon request of the EDI with an interim report, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) today decided to provisionally suspend Mr. Gianluca Prestianni for the next one (1) UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible, for the prima facie violation of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations (DR) related to discriminatory behaviour.

This is without prejudice to any ruling that the UEFA disciplinary bodies may subsequently make following the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and its respective submission to the UEFA disciplinary bodies.

Further information about this matter will be made available in due course." - the statement reads.

This means Benfica will be without not only their head coach José Mourinho—who is suspended from the touchline in Madrid due to a red card—but also one of their main attacking threats.

Reminder: UEFA is concerned that tensions between Vinícius and Prestianni could escalate in the return leg