🚨 Vini scandal with World Cup fallout? UEFA bans Benfica star

On this Friday, UEFA banned Gianluca Prestianni for six matches for discriminatory behavior in the first leg of the Champions League playoffs between Benfica Lisbon and Real Madrid. Three of those matches are suspended on probation for two years.

Prestianni’s ban applies to international club and national-team matches under the European football governing body. In the worst-case scenario, the Argentine could still miss the World Cup.

As 'kicker' reports, UEFA plans to ask FIFA to extend the ban to competitions under the world governing body as well. If FIFA approves the request, a World Cup call-up for the 20-year-old could become less likely.

Since Prestianni will not play another international match with Benfica this season, the Argentine would have to serve at least two more national-team matches if FIFA agrees.

He had already served a one-match suspension in the second leg against Real. In the first leg, Prestianni was shown a red card by referee François Letexier after making racist insults toward Real star Vinícius Júnior. Two months after the incident, the official announcement of the punishment has now followed.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.