UEFA on Friday, handed Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni a six-match ban following alleged racist insults directed at Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior during both sides’ UEFA Champions League play-off match in Lisbon some weeks ago.
Benfica announced the news in an official statement, saying the Portuguese club received a notification from UEFA.
According to the statement, Prestianni was suspended for ‘six matches’ for the use of homophobic language during Benfica’s Champions League tie with Real Madrid in March.
Earlier, the Champions League playoff was overshadowed by several troubling incidents, most notably when Vinicius accused Prestianni of using racist slurs against him.
The Champions League playoff first leg encounter was played in Lisbon, and UEFA later banned Prestianni for the return leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
