The soccer world is abuzz regarding Vinicius Jr.’s racism allegations against Gianluca Prestianni following Real Madrid’s vital 1-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of their 2025-26 Champions League knockout playoff. Weighing in on the controversy is none other than FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The incident occurred seconds after Real Madrid’s goal celebration, when the forward had a heated exchange of words with Prestianni. The Brazilian immediately approached referee François Letexier, who activated the anti-racism protocol. Vinicius Jr. left the field visibly upset by what the Benfica midfielder had reportedly said to him.
After play was halted for several minutes to review the situation, no immediate sanctions were taken. During the exchange, Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey, making it nearly impossible to perform a lip-reading of his alleged remarks.
However, after the match, Aurelien Tchouameni revealed that Prestianni allegedly called Vinicius a “m*nkey” while concealing his face. Despite the claims from the Real Madrid midfielder, Prestianni responded decisively to racism allegations, stating that Vinicius Jr. misinterpreted his words and insisting he never said anything racist.
While no formal measures have been taken yet, UEFA broke its silence on the situation, stating that “the official reports from the matches played last night are currently being reviewed“. Now, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has officially entered the conversation.
Gianni Infantino’s official statement
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“I was shocked and saddened to see the incident of alleged racism towards Vinícius Júnior in the UEFA Champions League match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF. There is absolutely no room for racism in our sport and in society – we need all the relevant stakeholders to take action and hold those responsible to account,” Infantino began in an official FIFA statement released via his social media channels.
“At FIFA, through the Global Stand Against Racism and the Players’ Voice Panel, we are committed to ensuring that players, officials and fans are respected and protected, and that appropriate action is taken when incidents occur. I commend referee François Letexier for activating the anti-racism protocol by using the arm gesture to stop the game and address the situation,” he continued.
“FIFA and football show full solidarity to victims of racism and any form of discrimination. I will always continue to reiterate: No to racism! No to any form of discrimination!” the message concluded.
The FIFA president’s intervention puts further pressure on UEFA as they review the match reports. With the return leg scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, at the Santiago Bernabeu, the focus remains on whether disciplinary measures will be enacted before the two sides meet again.