Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni has been banned for six European matches after being found guilty of homophobic conduct towards Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior. With three matches of the ban suspended for a two-year period, Prestianni may end up sitting out only two further games after he served a one-game provisional ban after the incident.
Uefa, however, announced it would ask Fifa to extend the suspension’s remit to include international matches, which would mean the Argentina international would miss the first two games of the World Cup.
Vinícius alleged he was racially abused during the Champions League knockout playoff round match between the sides in Lisbon on 17 February. Prestianni was seen addressing the Brazilian while covering his mouth with his shirt. Vinícius temporarily left the field after the incident, resulting in a stoppage that lasted 10 minutes. Uefa appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator after the match.
The investigation found Prestianni’s conduct was homophobic rather than racist, an offence that would still customarily attract a 10-match ban under Article 14 of Uefa’s disciplinary regulations. The Uefa control, ethics and disciplinary body, which heard the case, has yet to publish its reasons for the decision, but one possible explanation for a reduced punishment is that Prestianni is understood to have accepted his guilt.
The incident is likely to result in a change to the football rule book, with the International Football Association Board due to meet in Canada next week, before the Fifa Congress, to further consider how players are dealt with if they cover their mouths to talk to an opponent during a confrontation.
The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, said last month any such behaviour should result in a red card, telling Sky News: “If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously. There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth.”
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Article 14 of Uefa’s disciplinary regulations state that a player “who insults the human dignity of a person or group of persons” on grounds including skin colour, race, religion, ethnic origin, gender or sexual orientation must incur “a suspension lasting at least 10 matches or a specified period of time, or any other appropriate sanction”.
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