Benfica-Real Madrid: the Lisbon club suspends five supporters suspected of racist gestures during the first leg

This time, Benfica is quicker to condemn racist acts. The Lisbon club announced on Friday that it had provisionally suspended the subscription cards of five supporters suspected of racist gestures during the first leg play-off against Real Madrid on February 17 at the Luz stadium.

“The opening of these disciplinary procedures results from the internal investigation launched following the match between Benfica and Real Madrid, played on February 17, and inappropriate behavior in the stands, of a racist nature, incompatible with the values ​​and principles which govern the club,” writes the Lisbon club in a press release.

Gestures imitating a monkey

Reaffirming that “it does not tolerate any form of discrimination or racism”, the club specifies that these five members are exposed to exclusion. It was during this first leg play-off, won by Real Madrid (1-0), that the Brazilian striker of the Spanish club, Vinicius Junior, author of the only goal of the game, accused the Argentine player of Benfica Gianluca Prestianni of having called him a “monkey”.

The match was interrupted for around ten minutes by the referee, and UEFA suspended the Argentine striker as a precautionary measure for the return play-off, won by Real on Wednesday evening (2-1). The Portuguese club challenged UEFA’s decision.

He reaffirmed Thursday that his player was not racist and “categorically denied” press reports according to which Prestianni had “informed his teammates or the club structure that he had uttered a racist insult against Vinicius Jr”.

Beyond the incident involving the Argentinian, supporters at the Luz stadium were filmed making gestures imitating a monkey in the direction of Vinicius, according to videos which circulated on social networks and were relayed by Spanish media.