Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni has publicly addressed the racism controversy that erupted during Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League knockout play-off first leg against Real Madrid. The incident, which led to the temporary halt of the match, has ignited a widespread debate across European football regarding racism in the sport.

The controversy unfolded in Lisbon shortly after Real Madrid’s Brazilian forward, Vinícius Júnior, scored a goal. Following his celebration, Vinícius approached referee François Letexier, alleging that Prestianni had directed racist abuse towards him. Vinícius specifically claimed Prestianni called him a 'monkey' during an exchange where the Benfica player had covered his mouth with his shirt. This serious accusation prompted the referee to invoke FIFA and UEFA’s anti-racism protocol, stopping the game for nearly ten minutes. Vinícius's teammate, Kylian Mbappe, who was nearby, reportedly corroborated the claim.

In response to the accusations, Prestianni, 20, took to Instagram to issue his version of events, vehemently denying any racist intent. 'I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to player Vinícius Junior, who regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard,' he stated. Prestianni asserted his non-racist stance, adding, 'I was never racist with anyone, and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.'

Further elaborating on X, Prestianni questioned the subdued initial reaction from Vinícius's teammates, given the gravity of the accusation. He challenged, 'If they keep saying that SUPPOSEDLY I made a racist comment to Vinicius Junior, then why didn't any of them react?' He also defended his action of covering his mouth, a common practice among footballers. 'And everyone pointing fingers at me for covering up with my shirt when they know that all soccer players cover their mouths to talk. Don't try to make up more,' he posted.

The incident has also drawn sharp criticism from football pundits. Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry and former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, lambasted Prestianni, labeling him a 'coward' for his alleged actions. Henry challenged Prestianni directly, stating, 'Let’s see how big a man Prestianni is, tell us what you said, you must have said something because you can’t go and tell Mbappé after ‘I didn’t say anything’, what do you mean you didn’t say anything? So you cover your nose because you have a cold?' Richards concurred with Henry's sentiment.

UEFA has confirmed that an investigation into the matter is underway. A UEFA spokesman announced that 'The official reports from the matches played last night are currently being reviewed. Where matters are reported, proceedings are opened and, should they lead to disciplinary sanctions being imposed, they are announced on the UEFA disciplinary website.' As of now, UEFA has provided no further comment or information regarding the ongoing review.