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• Benfica star tells UEFA
Gianluca Prestianni has told UEFA he directed a homophobic slur at Vinicius Junior rather than a racist comment during Benfica’s match against Real Madrid, according to reports.
European football’s governing body is investigating ‘allegations of discriminatory behaviour’ after claims Prestianni called the Real Madrid winger a ‘monkey’ while covering his face during the Champions League tie on Tuesday.
The match was halted for 10 minutes by referee Francois Letexier, who made a crossed arms gesture to signal reported racial abuse inside Lisbon’s Estadio de Luz.
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Madrid star Kylian Mbappe claimed Prestianni racially abused his team-mate five times, but the Argentinian insisted his opponent ‘misinterpreted what he thinks he heard’.
Now, according to ESPN, the Benfica midfielder has given evidence to the investigation, telling UEFA chiefs that he did not say ‘mono’ – Spanish for ‘monkey’ – but instead directed a homophobic slur towards Vinicius.
Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni also told reporters that the Benfica player had claimed to have used a homophobic slur in the immediate aftermath of the match.
