Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, has released an official statement addressing the racial slur allegations that reportedly occurred during a UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid and Benfica.
The alleged incident involved Vinicius Junior and Gianluca Prestianni, with claims that a racial slur was used during an on-field exchange.
In his statement, Infantino said he was “shocked and saddened” by the reports, reiterating football’s zero-tolerance stance on racism.
“There is absolutely no room for racism in our sport and in society.
“We need all the relevant stakeholders to take action and hold those responsible to account.”
20-year-old Prestianni has denied the racial allegations and insists that Vinicius misinterpreted what he thinks he heard.
UEFA has appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate the allegations, which will take more than two weeks. If Prestianni is found guilty, he will face a 10-match ban.
Kylian Mbappe is backing Junior, insisting he heard Prestianni call Vinicius a “monkey” five times. While Benfica are arguing that some Madrid players could not have heard alleged racist abuse because it’s very noisy at the stadium.
Both teams will play each other again on February 25 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid. The match between Real Madrid and Benfica is expected to get a lot of attention because of the recent incident.
The investigation is still ongoing, and a final decision may take a few weeks. Officials will review match reports, video clips, and speak to those involved before making any decision.
