Background
In a fresh escalation of the crisis at Da Luz, Benfica backed its Argentine player Gianluca Prestiani, denying the racism allegations leveled by Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior.
Not stopping there, the Portuguese club began collecting 'technical evidence' to challenge Madrid's account.
Evidence and Response
At 3:11 a.m., Benfica released a video captured by a camera near the touchline at Da Luz, claiming the footage shows it would be impossible for the Madrid players to hear any remark.
The club insisted the distance between players was wide enough to prevent any supposed exchange from reaching the visitors.
Benfica had already issued an early statement from Prestiani at 2:40 a.m., in which the midfielder defended himself, saying Vinícius misinterpreted what he heard.
On Benfica's official X account, the club attached the player's message with a firm show of solidarity — Together, by your side — signaling belief in Prestiani's innocence.
Reaction and Outlook
The steps come after strong criticism from Vinícius and Mbappé, who alleged Prestiani repeated a racist term five times overall.
While Real Madrid point to the player's features and the shirt's cover as proof, Benfica relies on 'physical logic' and distance, transforming the case into a technical dispute awaiting UEFA's ruling.
As the saga drags on, fans debate whether physics can settle a human dispute, while the two clubs await UEFA's verdict and controversy.
Punchlines: In this saga, the only thing offside is the truth.
Punchline two: Relax—VAR stands for Very Annoying Replay.
