Benfica's Prestianni denies racially insulting Real Madrid's Vinícius in Champions League game

MADRID (AP) — Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni has denied racially insulting Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League match when he covered his mouth with his jersey.

“I have never been racist with anyone and I regret the threats that I received from Real Madrid players,” the 20-year-old Argentina forward, who faces a potential 10-match ban if found guilty of racial abuse in UEFA’s disciplinary code, said on X. The European soccer governing body said Wednesday it has appointed a special investigator to gather evidence.

Benfica said Prestianni was the victim of a “defamation campaign.”

The Champions League playoff game at Benfica’s Stadium of Light was halted for nearly 10 minutes on Tuesday after the referee initiated the anti-racism protocol, which is the standard procedure when a player alleges being abused. Cameras picked up Vinícius telling French referee François Letexier that Prestianni called him a “monkey.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said he was “shocked and saddened to see the incident of alleged racism” and praised the referee for activating the anti-racism protocol.

“There is absolutely no room for racism in our sport and in society,” Infantino said on X. “We need all the relevant stakeholders to take action and hold those responsible to account.”

Benfica showed support for Prestianni on Wednesday, with the Portuguese club claiming that Madrid players who said they heard the insult were too far away.

Benfica later released a statement saying it welcomed UEFA's investigation and that it “fully supports and believes the version presented” by Prestianni, "whose conduct while with the club has always been guided by respect” toward everyone.

Benfica fans had reacted angrily to Vinícius celebrating his 50th-minute goal by dancing by the corner flag, throwing bottles and other objects toward the Madrid players. Prestianni then confronted Vinícius and said something while covering his mouth with his jersey.

Madrid, which won 1-0, hosts the second leg on Feb. 25 with the overall winner advancing to the round of 16 in European club soccer's top competition.

After the match, Vinícius posted a photo on Instagram of him celebrating by the Benfica corner flag. He wrote: “Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to cover their mouths with their shirts to show how they are weak. ... Nothing that happened today is new to me in my life and in my family’s life. I was shown a yellow card for celebrating a goal. I still don’t know why.”

Madrid players said they considered leaving the field but eventually decided to continue playing.

Vinícius covered his mouth with his hands several times, as many players do, while talking to teammates and opponents.

Benfica posted a video on X.

“As the images show, given the distance, the Real Madrid players couldn't have heard what they have been saying that they heard,” Benfica said.

Benfica had already posted Prestianni's statement along with the words: “Together, by your side.”

Prestianni insisted that Vinícius misunderstood what was said, while Benfica players after the match reportedly said the Argentine provoked the Brazil forward but never racially insulted him.

“I want to clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults at the player Vinícius Júnior, who unfortunately misinterpreted what he thought he had heard,” Prestianni said.

He did not say why he covered his mouth.

The referee appeared to show that he did not hear anything and gestured that Prestianni had the shirt over his mouth. Vinícius, who is Black and has been repeatedly subjected to racist abuse in Spain, went to the sideline and sat in the dugout while play was stopped.

Prestianni was not shown a yellow card and continued playing. He was substituted in the 81st and was applauded by Benfica fans.

Kylian Mbappé was among the Madrid players who strongly defended Vinícius and posted on X: "Dance, Vini, and please never stop. They will never tell us what we have to do or not."

The France great also said Prestianni should never play in the Champions League again.

Some online videos on Wednesday appeared to show a few Benfica fans doing monkey gestures from the stands.

Benfica coach José Mourinho criticized Vinícius for celebrating by the Benfica flag. He spoke with both players and said he did not want to say he believed one over the other.

Mourinho said he told Vinícius that the greatest player in Benfica’s history — Eusébio — was also Black, but seemed to question why the Madrid player was so frequently targeted by racist abuse.

Anti-discrimination group Kick It Out criticized Mourinho's remarks.

“When anyone reports discrimination in football, or anywhere, the first priority is that they are listened to and feel supported," it said.

“Focusing on Vinicius Jr.’s goal celebration or the history of the club, instead of acknowledging the report, is a form of gaslighting.

“This approach not only harms the individual affected but also sends the wrong message to others around the world who may have experienced similar situations."

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Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior argues with referee François Letexier after scoring the opening goal during a Champions League playoff soccer match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior celebrates with team mates the opening goal during a Champions League playoff soccer match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)

A plastic bottle filled with water is thrown from the stands toward Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior during a Champions League playoff soccer match between Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior argues with Benfica's head coach José Mourinho after scoring the opening goal during a Champions League playoff soccer match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)

Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni fights for the ball against Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior during a Champions League playoff soccer match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid in Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Pedro Rocha)

LONDON (AP) — British police forces are working together to assess potential crimes revealed in documents from the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including allegations of wrongdoing by the former Prince Andrew.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council, which brings together police leaders from across the U.K., said on Wednesday that it had set up a national coordination group to support forces looking into issues arising from the more than 3 million pages of documents released late last month.

“It may take some time due to the volume of material and the complexity of international jurisdictions, but policing and its law enforcement partners are taking this matter extremely seriously, and will assess all information thoroughly,” the council said in a statement.

While the council didn’t specify the police forces involved in the effort, at least eight have said they are “assessing” information in the files. They are looking into issues ranging from concerns that Epstein’s private jet may have been used in sex trafficking to allegations that the former Prince Andrew sent confidential reports to the financier when he was Britain’s international trade envoy.

Police in Surrey, the county south of London, on Wednesday said the documents contained allegations of sex trafficking in the village of Virginia Water between 1994 and 1996. The force didn’t provide any details about the alleged perpetrators or victims.

The force encouraged anyone with information about the alleged crimes to contact police.

“Where relevant, and via the national coordination group, we will engage with law enforcement agencies to obtain access to further information which may support our enquiries,” Surrey Police said in a statement.

Another force, Essex Police, said Tuesday it was assessing information about private flights to and from Stansted Airport following information in the latest document dump.

The Epstein scandal has rocked the royal family and British politics in recent months because of his links to the former prince, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and Peter Mandelson, the U.K.’s former ambassador to Washington.

King Charles III in October stripped his younger brother of his royal titles, including the right to be called a prince, in an effort to insulate the royal family from the continuing revelations about his friendship with Epstein.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer was criticized for poor judgment and faced a challenge to his leadership after the documents revealed Mandelson had a closer relationship with Epstein than he acknowledged at the time Starmer sent him to Washington.

FILE - Britain's Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, speaks during a reception at the ambassador's residence on Feb. 26, 2025 in Washington. (Carl Court/Pool Photo via AP, File)

FILE - Britain's Prince Andrew, left, and Britain's King Charles III leave after the Requiem Mass service for the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral in London, Sept. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Joanna Chan, File)

A document that was included in the U.S. Department of Justice release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, photographed Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, shows a photo of Epstein on a inmate report from the Federal Bureau of Prisons . (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)