Gianluca Prestianni has sought to clarify the comments he allegedly directed to Vinicius Jr that sparked an explosive row in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
The contest between Prestianni’s Benfica and Vinicius’s Madrid was halted for 10 minutes when the Brazilian accused his opponent of racially abusing him moments after he put the visitors in the lead in Lisbon.
Video footage showed Vinicius and Prestianni walking towards one another, before the Argentine lifted his shirt over his mouth. Moments later, Vinicius raced over to referee Francois Letexier to report racial abuse.
He claimed Prestianni called him a ‘monkey’. His team-mate, Kylian Mbappe, who was in close vicinity of the exchange, corroborated his claim.
Benfica have since claimed that Real Madrid’s players were not close enough to Prestianni to hear what he had said, in a bizarre statement posted at 2am on Wednesday, while manager Jose Mourinho said Vinicius had ‘incited’ his stars after his exuberant goal celebration.
Prestianni himself has now given his version of events. Taking to Instagram, the 20-year-old said: ‘I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to player Vinícius Junior, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard.
‘I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.’
Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni told the media that the Benfica star claimed he did not aim a racist slur at Vinicius, but made a homophobic remark instead.
Later, on X, Prestianni questioned what he felt was a subdued initial reaction from Vinicius’s team-mates, given the gravity of the accusation levelled against him. He also explained why he raised his shirt over his mouth.
‘If they keep saying that SUPPOSEDLY I made a racist comment to Vinicius Junior, then why didn’t any of them react?’ he asked. ‘Accusing someone of something serious isn’t right, and even less so when it’s not true.
‘And everyone pointing fingers at me for covering up with my shirt when they know that all soccer players cover their mouths to talk. Don’t try to make up more.’
UEFA are expected to launch an investigation into the incident.
A UEFA spokesman said: ‘The official reports from the matches played last night are currently being reviewed. Where matters are reported, proceedings are opened and, should they lead to disciplinary sanctions being imposed, they are announced on the UEFA disciplinary website.
‘We have no further information to provide you or any further comment to make on this matter at this stage.’
Madrid star Trent Alexander-Arnold said the scenes were ‘disgusting’ post-match. while Mourinho claimed Vinicius had incited his players by celebrating and that the Brazilian ‘was not just happy to score that astonishing goal’.
‘It should be the crazy moment of the game, an amazing goal in a good game… these talents are able to do these beautiful things but unfortunately he [Vinicius] was not just happy to score that astonishing goal and then the game was over. When you score a goal like that you celebrate in a respectful way.’
When asked if Vinicius had ‘incited’ Benfica’s players and fans with his exuberant celebration, Mourinho said: ‘Yeah, I believe so. The words they exchange, Prestianni with Vinicius, I want to be independent. I don’t comment about it.’
Mourinho was seen speaking with Vinicius and Mbappe during the lengthy pause in play, and revealed what he had told the Brazilian.
‘I told him that when you score a goal like that you just celebrate and walk back,’ he added. ‘And then, when he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person in the history of this club was black. This club, the last thing it is is racist, so if in his mind it was something in relation to that, this is Benfica.
‘There is something wrong because it happens in every stadium. Every stadium that Vinicius plays [in] something happens. Always.
‘I’m saying that it was a good 50 minutes of football, millions of people watching around the world, a crazy goal absolutely crazy goal and then game over.’
His comments left Amazon Prime pundits Wayne Rooney, Clarence Seedorf and Theo Walcott stunned, with Seedorf saying the Portuguese had made a ‘big mistake’.
‘I think he [Jose Mourinho] is still emotional,’ said Seedorf. ‘I think he made a big mistake today to justify racial abuse and I’m not saying that was the case today but he mentioned something more than today.
‘He said wherever he goes these things happen, so he’s saying it’s okay when Vinicius provokes you, that it is okay to be racist and I think that is very wrong.’
Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards, covering the game for US broadcaster CBS Sports, highlighted Mourinho’s hypocrisy.
‘Anyone can celebrate how they like, and you shouldn’t get racially abused no matter what. It feels a little bit rich coming from Mourinho,’ Carragher said.
‘This is a guy who celebrates and antagonises the opposition probably more than any coach has ever done in the past. Remember running down the touchline at Old Trafford.
‘I remember a cup final against Liverpool when Chelsea scored very late telling all the Liverpool supporters to shut up… so it’s a bit rich coming from him to have a pop at Vinicius Jr for his celebration. A big goal in the Champions League, he is entitled to celebrate how he likes.’
Richards said: ‘I’m disappointed with the whole thing. Mourinho is somebody I love as a coach… I expect better from him because he is a powerful person within the sport, a lot of people listen to what he says and Jamie is right, hypocrisy from him when he celebrates how he wants. I just feel a little bit let down.’
