Mourinho: Prestianni career “over” if guilty

March 2, 2026 Oliver Obel

Benfica manager Jose Mourinho said Monday that Gianluca Prestianni could see his career at the club end if UEFA finds him guilty of racially abusing Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior during a recent Champions League match.

UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings over the alleged incident, which took place during the first leg of the knockout playoff round in Lisbon on Feb. 17.

Potential disciplinary action

Under Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations, a player found guilty of insulting human dignity on grounds of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation faces a suspension of at least 10 matches. Additional sanctions can be imposed depending on the severity of the offense.

UEFA has not announced when its disciplinary body is expected to rule.

Mourinho’s response

Speaking ahead of Benfica’s league match against Gil Vicente, Mourinho said he would take a firm stance if the allegation is proven.

“If he is indeed guilty, I will no longer look at him the same way, and it will be over with me. I absolutely condemn all forms of discrimination and idiocy,” Mourinho told reporters.

“If my player has not respected the principles, which are mine and those of Benfica, his career will end with me.”

What happened during the match

The allegation surfaced after Vinicius scored and approached referee Francois Letexier during the game. The official made the crossed-arms gesture used in UEFA competitions to signal a report of racist abuse.

After the final whistle, Vinicius said Prestianni had called him “mono,” Spanish for monkey.

Later that evening, the Brazilian wrote on Instagram: “Racists are, above all, cowards. They need to put their shirts in their mouths to show how weak they are.”

Images from the match showed Prestianni speaking to Vinicius with his shirt partially covering his mouth.

Denials and club statement

Prestianni has denied using a racist term. The Times reported that the Argentine forward said he used the word “maricon,” a homophobic slur in Spanish, rather than a racial insult.

Several Portuguese media outlets reported Thursday that Prestianni had admitted to teammates that he used a racial slur. Benfica rejected that claim in a written statement.

“Sport Lisboa e Benfica categorically denies that the player Prestianni has communicated to the squad or the club's structure that he has uttered a racist insult to the player Vinicius Jr, from Real Madrid,” the club said.

The statement added that Prestianni apologized to teammates for the incident and “assur[ed] everyone, as he has done since the first hour, that he is not racist.”

Wider context

Vinicius has previously been subjected to racist abuse during matches in Spain and European competitions, prompting repeated anti-discrimination campaigns from football authorities in recent seasons.

The case remains under review by UEFA’s disciplinary panel.

Sources: The Times, UEFA disciplinary regulations, Benfica statement, Vinicius Junior Instagram post.