Gianluca Prestianni hit with a six-game ban for shouting homophobic slurs towards Vinicius Junior in the Real-Benfica clash

Prestianni was accused of racist remarks by Vinicius. during the match between Real Madrid and Benfica. (Image credits – Wikipedia, license details)

UEFA handed Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni a six-game ban for homophobic slurs made towards Vinicius Jr during their Champions League playoffs fixture in February. This punishment includes the one game provisional suspension he served in the second leg back in February.

Therefore, he will be sidelined for only two games unless he triggers the suspended three-game ban. The Brazilian forward had accused the Argentine of racially abusing him in the first leg, due to which the game had to be halted for ten minutes in the second half.

Vinicius scored and put Madrid ahead in the tie and then celebrated by dancing in front of the corner flag. Benfica players thought it was disrespectful, and it led to a confrontation where Prestianni appeared to be speaking to the Brazilian while covering his mouth with his jersey. As per Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations, punishment for both racist abuse and anti-gay abuse is the same.

The regulation says, "Any entity or person subject to these regulations who insults the human dignity of a person or group of persons on whatever grounds, including skin colour, race, religion, ethnic origin, gender or sexual orientation, incurs a suspension lasting at least ten matches or a specified period of time, or any other appropriate sanction.” (sic)

Europe’s football governing body had appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigation following the game, and the committee concluded that Prestianni’s conduct towards Vinicius was anti-gay and not racist. UEFA has also urged FIFA to extend his ban at an international level. It had also fined Benfica for racist abuse by the fans during the game against Real Madrid.

Benfica responded to the ban, saying, "Sport Lisboa e Benfica announces that it has been notified by UEFA of the sanction imposed on the player Prestianni for using anti-gay language during the Benfica v Real Madrid match.” (sic)

It further added, "The player Prestianni has been handed a six-match ban, three of which are suspended for two years." Of the three-match effective ban, one has already been served, and the remaining two must be served in UEFA matches or Argentina national team matches in a FIFA context.” (sic)

Although the 20-year-old has served one game suspension from his six-game ban already, UEFA’s punishment could also extend to the matches with his national team, Argentina, who are set to feature at the upcoming FIFA World Cup hosted by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, where they will aim to defend their title. FIFA is set to grant UEFA’s request to grant the suspension of the player from the national team matches as well, and it's permitted as per the disciplinary code.

If it happens, the 20-year-old will miss his next two official international fixtures. Argentina’s friendlies against Honduras and Iceland won't be counted in this suspension, meaning that if Lionel Scaloni names him in the nation's 26-man squad for the World Cup, Prestianni will be unavailable for the first two group games against Algeria and Austria.

Therefore, this suspension has high chances of affecting the youngster’s World Cup hopes, as it's unlikely that the coach will name a player in his squad who'll miss the crucial opening stage of the tournament. However, nothing has been decided as of now, and the Argentine Football Federation hasn't commented on the suspension incident yet.