Gianluca Prestianni has long been regarded as one of Argentina’s brightest young exports, a precocious winger who left Buenos Aires for Europe before his 18th birthday. But on Tuesday night in Lisbon, it was not his talent that made headlines – the youngster was publicly accused of racism by Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior.
that has thrust the 20-year-old into the centre of a racism storm.
The alleged incident occurred during the UEFA Champions League play-off first-leg tie between Benfica and Real Madrid. Vinícius had just scored a stunning second-half winner in a 1-0 victory when tensions boiled over.
After celebrating in front of the home supporters, the Brazilian clashed with Prestianni. Moments later, Vinícius approached referee François Letexier to report that the Argentine had called him “mono” – the Spanish word for monkey.
The match was halted for more than 10 minutes as the referee activated UEFA’s anti-racism protocol. No immediate disciplinary action was taken, but the fallout was swift.
Writing on Instagram, Vinícius described racists as “cowards” and said nothing that happened should be tolerated in his life or his family’s. He also criticised what he suggested was a lack of punishment.
Prestianni and Benfica have firmly denied any racist conduct. Coach Jose Mourinho said the winger criticised Vinícius for celebrating provocatively.
The Portuguese manager, who was sent off late on, argued that incidents seem to follow the Brazilian “in every stadium” and said it was “impossible” for Benfica to be considered a racist club given its history.
In a statement on social media, Prestianni denied using a racist term.
"I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults at player Vinicius Júnior, who unfortunately misinterpreted what he thought he heard. I have never been racist towards anyone, and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players," Prestianni posted on social media on Tuesday night.
Prestianni reportedly told other players that he had used the word “maricón,” a gay slur that equates roughly to "faggot.”
Real’s senior players rallied around their team-mate. Kylian Mbappé said any player guilty of such behaviour should be banned from Europe’s elite competition, while captain Federico Valverde said covering one’s mouth to speak suggested “something not good” had been said.
"We cannot accept there's a player playing in Europe's best competition and behaving like this," Mbappé told reporters. "This guy doesn't deserve to play in the Champions League again."
Vinícius, 25, has been targeted with racial abuse during his time in Spain on several occasions by opposition fans.
Four Atletico Madrid ultras were handed suspended jail sentences in June last year for hanging a dummy of Vinícius from a bridge in what police deemed a "hate crime", among several other court convictions.
In May 2023, Vinícius squared off with fans at Valencia's Mestalla stadium after being racially abused.
Promise and problems
For Prestianni, the controversy is the most serious of a career that has already mixed promise with problems.
Born on January 31, 2006, in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires province, he emerged from the academy of Vélez Sarsfield, the club he supported as a boy. Nicknamed ‘La Joyita’ for his slight 1.66m frame and quick feet, Prestianni became the youngest player to debut for the Fortín at the tender age of 16.
Between 2022 and 2023 Prestianni scored three goals in 39 appearances, though local media also reported episodes of indiscipline.
Benfica signed him in early 2024 for a reported 10 million euros. After a gradual introduction, he has featured in 30 matches this campaign, contributing two goals and two assists, earning the trust of Mourinho.
On the international stage, Prestianni chose Argentina over interest from Italy and impressed at the 2025 Under-20 World Cup in Chile, where he was twice named player of the match en route to the final.
He made his senior debut in a friendly win over Angola last November and is considered an outside option for Argentina’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Yet he has also drawn criticism before – from involvement in a post-match brawl at a 2022 youth tournament to provocative gestures at international level.
With UEFA now investigating the alleged comment towards Vinicius, Prestianni’s burgeoning career faces its most delicate test yet.
– TIMES/AFP/NA
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