Overview
- Prestianni, in a Wednesday interview with Argentina’s Telefe, rejected Vinícius Júnior’s accusation and said he was punished “without evidence.”
- He acknowledged using a homophobic insult he described as common in Argentine slang and insisted he did not use the word “monkey.”
- UEFA’s Article 14 discrimination case remains open and could bring a minimum 10‑match ban if it confirms abusive language.
- The Feb. 17 first leg in Lisbon was halted for about ten minutes after Vinícius reported the insult, and a provisional suspension then ruled Prestianni out of the return leg.
- Real Madrid players backed Vinícius’s account, with Spanish reports quoting Kylian Mbappé as saying he heard Prestianni call him “monkey.”