In this context, “what did Gianluca Prestianni say” refers to his public response after being accused of making a racist comment toward Vinícius Júnior during Benfica vs Real Madrid in February 2026. He has firmly denied using any racist insult and says Vinícius misunderstood what he heard.

What Gianluca Prestianni actually said

Prestianni has repeated the same core message across his Instagram story and later statements:

  • He denies directing racist insults at Vinícius Júnior at any moment.
  • He says Vinícius “misunderstood what he thought he heard” during their on‑pitch exchange.
  • He insists he has “never been racist with anyone” and rejects the accusation completely.
  • He adds that he regrets the threats he says he received from Real Madrid players and others after the incident.

A widely shared wording of his statement (relayed by major football reporters and outlets) is essentially:

He wants to clarify that at no time did he direct racist insults at Vinícius Júnior, that the player regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard, that he has never been racist with anyone, and that he regrets the threats he has received from Real Madrid players.

The accusation and the key moment

  • The controversy comes from a Champions League match where cameras picked up Prestianni covering his mouth with his shirt while speaking to Vinícius.
  • Vinícius reacted immediately and reported that he had been called a “monkey” , triggering UEFA’s anti‑racism protocol on the pitch.
  • Pundits, ex‑players and fans have debated the footage, with some strongly convinced a racist slur was used, while others argue the audio is inconclusive.

Prestianni, however, has not publicly specified in detail what exact words he says he used instead; his focus has been on denying that they were racist.

How he expanded his defense online

On social platforms, he went further than the short official lines, questioning the accusation itself:

  • He argued that if people were “so sure” he’d made a racist comment, more players or officials would have reacted immediately.
  • He complained that people point to him covering his mouth as “proof,” but said players regularly do that to speak on the pitch.

In essence, his stance is:

  1. He did say something to Vinícius.
  2. He insists it was not a racist insult.
  3. He believes the incident has been misinterpreted and blown up by reactions to the video and his body language.

Other voices and ongoing context

  • Vinícius Júnior and several teammates maintain that a racist slur was used, which is why the protocol was activated and why the reaction was so strong.
  • High‑profile figures like Kylian Mbappé and various pundits have publicly backed Vinícius, saying such abuse is unacceptable and calling for strong consequences.
  • UEFA has opened an investigation, and media describe the case as “alleged racist abuse” because, at this stage, no final disciplinary verdict has been announced.

So, to directly answer your phrase “what did Gianluca Prestianni say?” in this trending case:

  • He says he never called Vinícius a racist slur.
  • He says Vinícius misheard/misunderstood him.
  • He says he has never been racist and regrets the threats and backlash he has received.

TL;DR: Prestianni’s official line is a categorical denial: no racist insult, a misunderstanding by Vinícius, and a claim that he is not racist, while the wider football world continues to debate what really happened in that moment.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.