Kylian Mbappé condemns Prestianni as UEFA opens probe into incident with Vinicius Junior in Champions League
Vinicius Junior was thrust into the spotlight Tuesday following a controversial Champions League incident in which he alleged racial abuse. While UEFA has opened an investigation into the matter, Kylian Mbappé publicly condemned Gianluca Prestianni with a strong statement after the match.
As soon as Vinicius halted play to report the alleged abuse, Mbappé became one of the most vocal Real Madrid players in support of his teammate, both on the sideline, where he spoke with Jose Mourinho, and on the field. While the match was still ongoing, the French star was also seen confronting Prestianni in another tense moment captured by cameras.
Asked about the situation in the mixed zone after the game, Mbappé made his stance clear: “We have to set an example for children. This is the Champions League — the competition I dreamed of as a kid, the one I watched with my parents when I was little — and there are things we cannot accept. Because the world is watching us.“
He also clarified the difference between the alleged incident and the crowd’s reaction. “We mustn’t generalize, because that becomes a problem when things like this happen. I have Portuguese friends and teammates who’ve always treated me very well, but when one person behaves like that, it has to be called out. Then they booed us, which is normal, because they don’t know what happened; I have nothing against the fans, the club, or their coach, one of the best in history,” he added.
“But something has to be done. We can’t accept a player like that playing in the Champions League; he doesn’t deserve it. We’ll see what happens. Let’s let UEFA make the decisions. It’s a serious case,” Mbappé said. Mourinho’s suggestion that Vinicius provoked the crowd during his celebration also sparked debate, and when asked about it, the French forward doubled down while revealing what Prestianni allegedly said.
“They’re two very different things. I’m going to talk about what I know — what I saw and heard. About what I didn’t see, I won’t talk; that’s how I am. But what I saw is very clear: player number 25 said to Vini five times, ‘you’re a monkey.’ In the end, everyone will give their opinion. I try to come here and give an explanation, because from where you were it’s impossible to know what happened,” he added.
Mbappé and his conversation with Vinicius
In the mixed zone, several Real Madrid players stood behind Vinicius. However, one of the most active figures on the field was Mbappé, who, once the anti-racism protocol was triggered, stayed alongside the Brazilian to discuss what steps the team might take.
With play halted from the 52nd minute, Mbappé shed light on his exchange with Vinicius: “I said, ‘What do you want to do?’ He had been told that, and I told him, ‘Whatever you want to do, we’ll do it as a team.’ Because I already said in the press conference before Monaco that we would never leave him alone.”
The former PSG star also revealed the options the squad considered in response to the situation. “We thought about walking off, that’s why we left. Then several things happened and we came back. We stayed focused on the match and won; but the match isn’t the important thing today — there are things more important than football tonight,” he added.
UEFA opens investigation into Prestianni-Vinicius episode
As reported by Cadena SER’s El Larguero, UEFA has launched an investigation into the Prestianni-Vinicius incident over the alleged racist remark during the clash between Benfica and Real Madrid. As part of the process, statements will be taken from Mbappé and all players involved.
However, the outlet added that “it will be very difficult to verify the insult,” since Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt at the moment Vinicius approached the referee. If the allegation cannot be clearly proven, no disciplinary action is expected, neither against the player nor the club.