Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has claimed that his heated exchange with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior during their Champions League play-off first leg began after a remark about his height, Idman.Biz reports.
The incident occurred in Benfica’s 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid and has since prompted UEFA to open disciplinary proceedings. According to The Times, Prestianni insists the confrontation escalated after Vinicius allegedly mocked him over his stature, with the Argentine winger standing at 166 centimetres. Prestianni claims he was called a “dwarf” before tempers flared on the pitch.
The 18-year-old, who is currently suspended, has already denied allegations of racism linked to the altercation. He has maintained that he was misheard during the exchange, stating he used the word “maricon”, a homophobic slur in Spanish, rather than “mono”, meaning “monkey”, which carries racist connotations. The distinction is central to UEFA’s ongoing investigation.
Under Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations, racist or discriminatory conduct can lead to significant sanctions, including lengthy bans. Comments related purely to physical characteristics, however, do not automatically fall under the same category. It will now be up to UEFA’s control, ethics and disciplinary body to determine the context of the exchange and decide on any further punishment.
The episode has added further tension to an already fiercely contested European tie, with scrutiny intensifying around player conduct at the highest level of the game.
