UEFA fined Portuguese club Benfica 40,000 euros ($46,000) and placed the club on a one-year probation after supporters engaged in racist chants and gestures directed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior during the first leg of their Champions League knockout tie on Feb. 17.
The match, won 1-0 by Madrid, was overshadowed by allegations of racial abuse, raising fresh questions about fan behavior and on-field accountability in European football.
Benfica risks partial stadium closure in future European matches if similar incidents occur during the probation period.
The sanctions address “illicit chants and gestures by two supporters,” UEFA said, and are separate from the ongoing investigation into allegations that Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni racially abused Vinicius during the match. In the 50th minute, after scoring the game’s only goal, Vinicius approached referee François Letexier claiming Prestianni called him a “monkey.”
UEFA’s anti-racism protocol was immediately invoked, halting play for nearly 10 minutes as players and officials dealt with the tense situation.
Television footage showed Prestianni lifting his jersey over his mouth while speaking to Vinicius, which the Brazilian interpreted as an attempt to conceal the insult.
Prestianni has consistently denied the allegation and faces a potential 10-match UEFA ban if found guilty, while he was suspended from the second leg in Madrid pending the investigation.
Benfica acted internally, suspending five supporters identified as having engaged in racist behavior.
UEFA also fined the club 25,000 euros for objects thrown onto the pitch, 8,000 euros for laser pointer use, and suspended assistant coach Pedro Machado for one match for unsporting conduct.
The incident highlights an ongoing issue for Vinicius, who has been targeted by racist abuse multiple times in European football.
Brazil’s football confederation (CBF) called for exemplary sanctions, while Real Madrid submitted full match footage to UEFA to support the case.
On the field, tensions flared: benches exchanged heated words, and Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was briefly sent off.
The second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu ended 2-1 in Madrid’s favor, sending the Spanish club through to the Champions League round of 16.
But the wider story centered on racism and fan misconduct, not the scoreline.
UEFA’s disciplinary measures signal the governing body’s commitment to zero tolerance, though the final verdict on Prestianni will.
