Because of discriminatory behavior
©IMAGO
Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni has been banned for six games for “discriminatory behavior” during the Champions League playoff game against Real Madrid in February. This was decided by the Disciplinary and Ethics Committee of the European Football Union (UEFA). The game in Lisbon was interrupted for ten minutes after Vinicius Junior accused Prestianni of racially insulting him.
Prestianni denied having done so, stating that Vinicius Junior had misunderstood him. In the scene he had pulled his jersey over his mouth. Real’s Aurélien Tchouaméni said afterwards that Prestianni had told him that he had actually made a homophobic remark towards the Brazilian striker.
Prestianni only has to play six games in extreme cases. He already served a provisional ban for one game in the second leg against Real. He has to watch two more, three are on probation for a period of two years. According to UEFA, this also applies to games with the national team and could therefore have an impact on the World Cup in the summer if Prestianni is nominated. The continental association has applied to the world association FIFA for the ban to apply worldwide.
Prestianni made his first appearance for the reigning world champions in November last year. Since then, there have been no further missions. In March he remained in the squad without playing minutes. The winger could simply sit out the remaining two games before the tournament in the friendly games against Iceland and Honduras.
