After UEFA probes, a shocking twist awaits Vinícius in the return leg
18 February 2026
Real Madrid secured a valuable 1-0 victory at Benfica’s Estádio da Luz, yet the night was overshadowed by allegations of racist abuse directed at Vinícius Júnior. UEFA has opened a probe into the claims raised by the Real Madrid forward during the first leg of the Champions League knockout playoff.
The goal came from Vinícius in the 50th minute, and after celebrating in front of Benfica’s supporters, he signalled toward the referee with what appeared to be directed at Gianluca Prestiani.
The referee responded by signaling no to racism, crossing his arms in an X above his head, and the game was temporarily halted.
This pause represented the first step in a three-stage protocol that could, in extreme cases, lead to a postponement of the match.
Benfica’s side saw Prestiani respond on Instagram, insisting he did not direct racist abuse at Vinícius, who reportedly misheard what he thought he heard.
Meanwhile, Kylian Mbappé later commented that he heard Prestiani “call Vinícius a monkey, five times.”
Return leg: Prestiani’s availability and the ongoing investigation
UEFA stated that an ethics and disciplinary inspector would collect evidence and hear from all parties involved, with a final decision not expected to come quickly given the case’s sensitivity and publicity.
The Athletic suggested Prestiani could feature for Benfica in the return leg at the Bernabéu, a prospect that would be a significant blow to Vinícius.
UEFA has appointed an ethics inspector to gather evidence and listen to all sides, underscoring the seriousness of the matter.
Sources indicated that the final ruling could take weeks rather than days as the process unfolds.
With the return leg scheduled for next Wednesday, Prestiani, who denies the charges, is reportedly in Benfica’s plans for the match.
European competitions have seen similar cases; in 2021, Slavia Prague’s Ondřej Kudela received a 10-match ban for racist conduct toward Rangers’ Glen Kamara in the Europa League, a punishment imposed after a month’s review.
UEFA’s minimum sanction for racist behavior remains 10 matches, with the requirement that the punishment includes education programs supervised by the club.
Vinícius has faced racist incidents throughout his career; in May, five fans were handed suspended prison terms and fines for racist chants directed at him during a match against Real Valladolid.
Earlier this month, Albacete said they felt “pain and shame” after a banana was thrown toward the player during a Copa del Rey game.
Punchline 1: In football, the only thing red on the field should be the card—racism gets a backseat to the drama, and apparently, to the referee’s X as well.
Punchline 2: If they keep turning up the heat this way, fans might need a degree in human rights just to understand a football match. Now that’s what I call study abroad—Studying the Beautiful Game, with electives in ethics and bench reactions.
