LISBON: Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe said Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni should be banned from the UEFA Champions League after the Argentine was accused of directing a racist slur at Vinicius Jr during Real Madrid’s 1-0 playoff first-leg victory on Tuesday.
Prestianni denied the accusation, saying Vinicius had misheard him.The incident occurred shortly after Vinicius curled Real Madrid into the lead five minutes into the second half in Lisbon against Benfica.
Television footage showed Prestianni covering his mouth with his shirt before making a comment that Vinicius and nearby teammates interpreted as a racial slur. Referee Francois Letexier halted the match for 11 minutes after activating FIFA’s anti-racism protocols.
The footage appeared to show an outraged Mbappe confronting Prestianni and calling him “a bloody racist”.The atmosphere turned hostile after play resumed, with Vinicius and Mbappe loudly booed by the home crowd whenever they touched the ball.
Despite the rising tensions, the match was completed without further interruption.“I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults at Vini Jr, who unfortunately misunderstood what he thought he heard,” Prestianni wrote on his Instagram account.
