Prestianni will not feature at the Santiago Bernabéu after UEFA decided to provisionally suspend the Benfica player for his conduct in last week’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.

European football’s governing body confirmed the decision in an official statement titled “Provisional suspension of Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni.”

According to UEFA, an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector (EDI) has been appointed to investigate allegations of discriminatory behavior during the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League knockout match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid on 17 February 2026.

Following a provisional report submitted by the EDI, the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) has ruled that Gianluca Prestianni is provisionally suspended from the next UEFA club competition match for which he would otherwise be eligible. The decision relates to an alleged breach of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, which covers discriminatory conduct.

UEFA clarified that this measure is taken without prejudice to the final decision that may follow once the investigation is concluded and formally presented to the disciplinary bodies.

While this is not yet the definitive sanction under Article 14, the provisional suspension signals that UEFA considers the matter serious. The governing body has opted to remove the player from European competition pending a final ruling, which could potentially result in the minimum sanction of a ten-match ban if the allegations are upheld.

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