Benfica deny reports Gianluca Prestianni admitted racially abusing Vinicius Jr

By Carl Markham, Press Association

Benfica have categorically denied that Gianluca Prestianni admitted to his team-mates he racially abused Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.

Portuguese media had reported the Argentinian winger, who denies the accusation, had confessed his guilt to the rest of the squad.

However, his club insisted that was not the case.

“Benfica categorically denies that player Prestianni communicated to the squad or the club’s management that he had uttered a racist insult against Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior,” said a statement.

“As has already been made public, the player apologised to his team-mates for the incident that occurred during the match against Real Madrid, regretting its magnitude and consequences and assuring everyone, as he has done from the very beginning, that he is not racist.”

Prestianni was provisionally suspended for Wednesday’s Champions League play-off defeat against Real after Vinicius alleged he was racially abused by the Argentinian in the first leg.

The Brazilian left the field and refused to return, resulting in a stoppage in play that lasted 10 minutes in Lisbon.

Benfica boss Jose Mourinho was roundly criticised for his comments about the incident after appearing to intimate the winger had brought any abuse upon himself with his goal celebration, saying “a stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens, always”.