Gianluca Prestianni used a homophobic slur, not a racial one. That distinction, which his camp apparently thought would help his case, ultimately didn't save him — UEFA handed the Benfica forward a six-game suspension on Friday for discriminatory conduct during February's Champions League tie against Real Madrid.
The incident dates back to February 17 in Lisbon, when Prestianni confronted Vinicius Jr. after the Brazilian scored the only goal of the first leg. Vinicius turned straight to the referee, pointing at Prestianni while the official made the arms-crossed gesture that signals a discrimination accusation. What followed was weeks of dispute over exactly what was said.
The slur that backfired as a defence
Sources told ESPN that Prestianni provided evidence to UEFA showing he had used an anti-gay slur rather than a racial term — presumably arguing he hadn't racially abused Vinicius. UEFA's response? A six-game ban specifically cited as being for "discriminatory (i.e. homophobic) conduct." The governing body also requested FIFA extend the suspension worldwide.
Practically speaking, the punishment is softened somewhat. Prestianni gets credit for the one-game provisional ban he already served, and three of the remaining games are suspended for two years — meaning he's effectively sitting out two more matches. Those must be served in UEFA competition or with the Argentina national team.
Benfica's statement was brief and notably neutral: the club said it had been "notified" of the sanction for Prestianni's use of "homophobic language." No public backing of the player, no outrage about the length of the ban. Just acknowledgment.
Where this leaves Benfica
Sporting consequences are limited in the short term. Benfica sit second in Liga Portugal on 63 points, seven behind Porto, and while the title race looks out of reach, a top-two finish still matters. They host Moreirense on Saturday — a side sitting seventh — and Prestianni's absence for that fixture changes very little on paper.
The bigger picture is what it means for the club's reputation and, longer term, Prestianni's own standing. He's 18 years old, already playing Champions League football, and has now been banned by UEFA for discriminatory conduct. That follows him. Benfica's odds of closing the gap on Porto this season were already slim before this — now the headlines around the club are about something far uglier than a points deficit.
UEFA has made clear, at least in writing, that homophobic abuse carries the same weight as racial abuse under its disciplinary framework. Whether two effective games served reflects that in practice is a separate argument — but the classification is now on Prestianni's record regardless.
