Gianluca Prestianni has publicly denied using any racist language toward Vinícius Júnior and says the Brazilian simply misheard what was said.

What Prestianni actually said

Across his Instagram and social media statements, Prestianni has repeated a few key points:

  • He insists that “at no time did I direct racist insults to Vini Jr”.
  • He says Vinícius “regrettably misunderstood what he thought he heard” , stressing that the words were misinterpreted.
  • He adds that he has “never been racist with anyone” in his career.
  • He says he regrets the threats he received from some Real Madrid players after the incident.

On X (Twitter), he also questioned the accusations more bluntly, asking why nobody reacted in the moment if he had really used racist language and criticizing people for assuming guilt just because he covered his mouth while speaking, something he points out “every player” does.

So, did he explain what he did say?

Up to now, Prestianni has not publicly given a precise, word‑for‑word version of the insult or phrase he used toward Vinícius.

He only frames it as non‑racist, misinterpreted trash talk in the heat of the game, saying he was provoked but without spelling out the exact words.

Current situation and context

  • UEFA has opened an investigation into the incident after Vinícius reported racist abuse and the anti‑racism protocol was activated during the match.
  • Benfica have issued a strong statement backing Prestianni, calling the campaign against him a “smear campaign” and emphasizing the club’s stance on equality and inclusion.
  • FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called the allegations serious, saying there is no place for racism and urging that those responsible, once identified, be held to account.

So right now, the exact words Prestianni used on the pitch are not confirmed publicly; what is public is his repeated denial of any racist insult and his claim that Vinícius misheard him.

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