The rift between Real Madrid’s star forward Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni is getting real as UEFA is putting its feet down and banning the Benfica player over racist abuse he allegedly hurled at the Brazilian player during Real Madrid’s 1-0 Champions League play-off first-leg win at Benfica on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.
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You would recall that the second half of the match was halted for about 10 minutes after Vinícius Júnior reported Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni to referee François Letexier over racist abuse. Although the referee issued a yellow card on the spot, UEFA has also responded to the remarks, and a week later UEFA banned Prestianni for one match, meaning, Prestianni will miss Wednesday’s return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, as Real Madrid take a 1-0 advantage into the decisive clash after the first leg in Lisbon.
Mariam Emily Adama is a copywriter, SEO strategist, and digital marketer passionate about using words to inform, inspire, and influence. With over seven years of experience writing for global brands and managing digital campaigns, she brings a data-driven yet creative approach to content creation. When she’s not writing or analyzing trends, Mariam enjoys exploring new cultures, reading, and documenting stories that celebrate African excellence.