The ruling means that the Argentine winger will miss the crucial second match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday.
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The decision comes as a direct result of an ongoing investigation into allegations of racist abuse directed at Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. during the first leg in Lisbon.
Gianluca Prestianni has been handed a provisional suspension
The suspension stems from the heated scenes in the Estádio da Luz last Tuesday. After Vinicius’ second-half winner, the match was halted for almost ten minutes after the Brazilian reported being called a ‘monkey’ by Prestianni.
While the 20-year-old covered his mouth with his shirt during the conversation, the accusation was supported by Kylian Mbappé, who reportedly told officials he heard the slur repeated five times.
UEFA’s Supervisory, Ethics and Disciplinary Body confirmed the ban on Monday, saying it was issued “without prejudice” to a final ruling.
If Prestianni is found guilty at the end of the full investigation, he could face a minimum 10-match suspension.
Benfica have said they will appeal the interim measure, although they admitted it is unlikely to be processed in time for Wednesday’s kick-off.
Jose Mourinho skips media duty over ‘gaslighting’ comments
Which adds to the tension, Air sports reports that Benfica head coach Jose Mourinho has decided to exercise his right to skip all media duties, both pre-match and post-match, for the trip to Madrid.
Mourinho himself is currently serving a touchline ban after being sent off in the first leg, allowing him to delegate press responsibilities to his assistant, João Tralhão.
Mourinho faced a barrage of criticism last week for his post-match comments in which he appeared to blame Vinicius for the incident.
The ‘Special One’ drew the ire of anti-racism group Kick It Out, who accused him of ‘gaslighting’ after suggesting the Brazilian’s goal celebration would incite the home crowd and players.
“In a stadium where Vinicius plays, something always happens,” Mourinho told Amazon Prime, a comment that prompted a fierce rebuttal from Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany, who called the comments a “big mistake.”
By avoiding the cameras this week, Mourinho appears determined to protect himself from the mounting pressure, leaving an exhausted and distracted Benfica with the daunting task of overturning a 1-0 deficit in the Spanish capital.
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