Overview
- Referee François Letexier activated the anti‑racism protocol and paused play for several minutes after Vinícius reported being called a racist slur.
- Kylian Mbappé confronted Gianluca Prestianni on the field and later urged UEFA to bar the Benfica forward from the competition.
- Broadcast footage shows Prestianni covering his mouth while speaking, a detail cited by media as limiting conclusive lip‑reading evidence.
- Prestianni publicly denied using racist language, said the incident was misinterpreted, reported receiving threats, and received public backing from Benfica.
- Brazil’s football federation issued an official statement supporting Vinícius and condemning racism, as UEFA’s potential disciplinary review under rules that allow lengthy bans remains pending.