The Portuguese Government has officially opened an investigation into the alleged racist incident involving Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during the UEFA Champions League knockout play-off first leg against Benfica at Estádio da Luz on February 17, 2026.
Portugal’s Authority for the Prevention and the Fight against Violence in Sport (APCVD) has initiated an administrative sanctioning procedure to clarify the facts surrounding the alleged verbal incident involving Benfica’s Argentine winger Gianluca Prestianni.
In a statement published on its official website, the APCVD confirmed the opening of proceedings following media reports concerning alleged insults or acts of racism directed at Vinícius during the UEFA-organised match.
The authority stated it had acted “following media reports concerning alleged insults or acts of racism directed at Vinicius during the match.”
The incident took place after Vinícius Júnior scored the decisive goal in Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory. He reported the alleged abuse to referee François Letexier, leading to a nearly 10-minute halt under UEFA’s three-step anti-racism protocol.
Prestianni has denied directing any racist insults, stating on social media: “I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard. I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”
Should the investigation confirm that a racist offence occurred, both the club (Benfica) and the player involved could face sanctions, as per the APCVD’s authority in handling violence and discrimination in Portuguese sport.
The move comes alongside UEFA’s ongoing review, where an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has been appointed to examine the allegations. The second leg of the tie is set for February 25, 2026, at the Santiago Bernabéu.