Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni handed six-game ban for homophobic conduct towards Vinicius Junior | World News

Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni has been banned for six matches by UEFA for homophobic conduct towards Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior during a Champions League match.

The Argentine midfielder was accused of racially abusing Brazilian Vinicius when he covered his mouth with his shirt during the clash in Lisbon.

UEFA announced on Friday that Prestianni would be handed a six-game ban after he claimed he used a homophobic slur, rather than a racial one.

Three of the games he is due to be banned have been suspended for a two years and one includes the match he already served as a provisional suspension in February, so unless he triggers the suspended three-match ban, he will only be sidelined for two further games.

Play was stopped for 10 minutes when Vinicius alleged he was racially abused in the knockout play-off first-leg game on 17 February. He left the field and refused to return after Prestianni’s comments.

UEFA appointed an ethics and disciplinary investigator after the match, with the investigation having concluded Prestianni’s conduct was homophobic rather than racist.

European football’s governing body said it had requested that FIFA extend the ban worldwide.

The incident could yet lead to a law change, with the International Football Association Board (IFAB) set to meet in Canada next week ahead of FIFA Congress to further consider how to deal with players if they cover their mouths to talk to an opponent in a confrontation.

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FIFA president Gianni Infantino said last month that a red card should be given in cases such as these, telling Sky News: “If a player covers his mouth and says something, and this has a racist consequence, then he has to be sent off, obviously.

“There must be a presumption that he has said something he shouldn’t have said, otherwise he wouldn’t have had to cover his mouth.”

Article 14 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations state that “any entity or person subject to these regulations who insults the human dignity of a person or group of persons on whatever grounds, including skin colour, race, religion, ethnic origin, gender or sexual orientation, incurs a suspension lasting at least 10 matches or a specified period of time, or any other appropriate sanction”.

UEFA has not published the reasoning of its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Board (CEDB) in reaching the sanction handed to Prestianni.