Overview
- After heavy criticism for his initial remarks, José Mourinho said he is opposed to discrimination and will not select Gianluca Prestianni again if investigators confirm racist abuse of Vinícius Júnior.
- UEFA’s ethics and disciplinary probe is ongoing, with Prestianni already given a provisional one‑match suspension that kept him out of the second leg after Benfica’s appeal failed.
- Prestianni denies using a racist insult, and Benfica issued a statement rejecting reports that he admitted wrongdoing to teammates or staff.
- If found guilty of discriminatory behavior, the winger faces a lengthy suspension, with reporting noting a typical minimum of around 10 matches under UEFA’s Article 14.
- Referee François Letexier halted play under anti‑racism protocols after Vinícius’s complaint, while Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé said he heard the slur during the confrontation.