Benfica midfielder denies racially abusing Vinicius after Real Madrid match halted

BBC News - WorldEN 2 min read 100% complete February 18, 2026 at 04:31 PM

AI Summary

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During a Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid, the game was temporarily halted after Vinicius Jr. reported alleged racist abuse. UEFA has launched an investigation into Benfica midfielder Gianluca Prestianni, who is accused of directing the abuse. Prestianni denies the allegations, and Benfica is supporting him, claiming a "defamation campaign" and suggesting Real Madrid players couldn't have heard the alleged comments. Benfica defends its history of inclusion, citing Eusebio as an example. Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out criticized Benfica's and Mourinho's reactions, stating they should cooperate with the investigation instead of defending the player without knowing the facts. If found guilty, Prestianni could face a minimum 10-match ban from European competition.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Sanjay Bhandari ×230% Kick It Out ×230% Eusebio ×230% Brazil 40% Mourinho ×240% Francois Letexier 50% UEFA 60% Real Madrid ×270% Benfica ×880% Gianluca Prestianni ×790% Vinicius Jr. ×390%

Keywords

racial abuse 100% vinicius jr 90% benfica 80% uefa investigation 70% gianluca prestianni 70% discrimination 60% champions league 50% defamation campaign 50% kick it out 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

BBC News - World

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis.

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racial abuse vinicius jr benfica uefa investigation gianluca prestianni discrimination champions league defamation campaign kick it out

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