Kylian Mbappe condemns Prestianni as UEFA opens investigation into Vinicius Junior incident in Champions League

Vinicius Junior was thrust into the spotlight on Tuesday after a controversy Champions League incident in which he alleged racial abuse. While UEFA has opened an investigation into the matter, Kylian Mbappe publicly condemned Gianluca Prestianni with a strong statement after the match.

As soon as Vinicius stopped the game to report the alleged abuse, Mbappe became one of Real Madrid’s most vocal players in support of his teammate, both on the touchline, where he spoke to Jose Mourinho, and on the pitch. While the match was still going on, the French star was also seen confronting Prestianni in another tense moment captured by cameras.

Asked about the situation in the mixed zone after the match, Mbappé made his position clear: “We must be an example for children. This is the Champions League – the match I dreamed of as a child, which I watched with my parents as a small child – and there are things we cannot accept. Because the world is watching us.“

He also clarified the difference between the alleged incident and the public’s reaction. “We should not generalizebecause that becomes a problem when things like this happen. I have Portuguese friends and teammates who have always treated me very well, but when someone behaves like that, it needs to be called out. Then they booed us, which is normal, because they don’t know what happened; I have nothing against the fans, the club or their coach, one of the best in history”, he added.

“But something has to be done. We cannot accept such a player playing in the Champions League; he doesn’t deserve it. We’ll see what happens. Let’s let UEFA make the decisions. It’s a serious matterMourinho’s suggestion that Vinicius provoked the crowd during his celebration also sparked debate, and when asked about it, the French forward doubled down as he revealed what Prestianni had allegedly said.

see also

Vinicius Junior breaks silence after incident with ‘coward’ Prestianni after Real Madrid’s Champions League win over Benfica

“They are two very different things. I’m going to talk about what I know, what I’ve seen and heard. I won’t talk about what I haven’t seen; that’s how I am. But what I saw is very clear: player number 25 said to Vini five times: ‘you are a monkey.’ Ultimately, everyone will have their opinion. I’m trying to come here and explain because from where you were, it’s impossible to know what happened”, he added.

Mbappé and his conversation with Vinicius

In the mixed zone, several Real Madrid players stood behind Vinicius. However, one of the most active figures on the pitch was Mbappéwho, after the anti-racism protocol came into effect, stayed next to the Brazilian to discuss what steps the team could take.

When the game was stopped from the 52nd minute, Mbappé shed light on his conversation with Vinicius: “I said, ‘What do you want to do?’ He was told that and I told him, ‘Whatever you want to do, we will do it as a team.‘Because I said at the press conference before Monaco that we would never leave him alone.”

The former PSG star also revealed the options the squad were considering in response to the situation. “We thought about running away, that’s why we left. Then several things happened and we came back. We stayed focused on the match and won; but the match is not the most important thing today; There are things more important than football tonight”, he added.

UEFA opens an investigation into the Prestianni-Vinicius episode

As reported by El Larguero by Cadena SER, UEFA has launched an investigation into the Prestianni-Vinicius incident following the alleged racist comment during the clash between Benfica and Real Madrid. As part of the process, statements will be taken from Mbappé and all players involved.

However, the outlet added that “it will be very difficult to verify the insult“, as Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt at the moment Vinicius approached the referee. If the accusation cannot be clearly proven, no disciplinary action is expectedneither against the player nor against the club.