Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni used an Instagram story to refute racism allegations against Vinicius Junior. "I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults at the player Vinicius Junior, who unfortunately misinterpreted what he thought he heard," stated the Argentine player.
The controversy follows Real Madrid's qualification to the Champions League playoffs, with both teams set to meet again on Wednesday. Real Madrid holds the advantage of a draw in Madrid, while Benfica needs to win by two goals to advance.