Vinicius Jr Accuses Prestianni of Racism in UEFA Match

During a UEFA match on February 18, 2023, between Real Madrid and Benfica at Estádio da Luz in Lisbon, Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr approached referee Fran Oi Letexi to report an alleged racist remark made by Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni. The incident occurred after Vinicius scored the decisive goal, prompting a roughly 10-minute halt in play.

Vinicius Jr has been vocal about racism in football, expressing his frustration on Instagram, which reignited discussions about racism in European football. Prestianni, 20, swiftly denied the allegations through a statement on his social media, asserting that it was a misunderstanding and that Benfica stands firmly behind him.

The club shared a video footage of the match on their official account, rejecting the claims. UEFA confirmed they began reviewing the officiating report related to the fixture earlier that day.