soccer

Prestianni denies racist insults against Vinicius Jr.

Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni denied directing racist insults at Vinicius Junior, stating the Real Madrid star misheard him.

Prestianni took to Instagram to clarify the incident, posting a photo with Vinicius from their previous match. He stated he never directed racist remarks at anyone and expressed regret over the threats he received from Madrid players.

Mbappé has since sided with Vinicius, claiming he heard the insults five times. The teams face off again next Wednesday in the Champions League round of 16 playoff.