President of Benfica, Rui Costa, has publicly defended suspended midfielder Gianluca Prestianni following allegations of racism.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Costa dismissed claims that Prestianni racially abused Vinicius Junior during a recent fixture.
“Prestianni is being called a racist, but he is anything but racist. I can guarantee that,” Costa said, expressing full confidence in the player’s character and integrity.
The controversy comes after UEFA suspended Prestianni for Benfica’s Champions League play-off second leg against Real Madrid.
The decisive clash is scheduled to take place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, with Real Madrid holding a 1–0 aggregate advantage heading into the encounter.
Costa emphasised that Benfica take such allegations seriously but insisted that Prestianni’s conduct has always reflected the club’s values. He did not provide further details about the accusation.
The incident adds to ongoing concerns about racism in European football, with clubs and governing bodies facing increasing pressure to address discrimination swiftly and transparently.
