Argentine winger Gianluca Prestianni has issued a public statement denying accusations of racism leveled against him by Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior.
The controversy erupted following an incident during a recent match (or training interaction), where Vinícius claimed Prestianni directed racist insults toward him.
In a clear and firm response released on social media and shared widely on February 18, 2026, Prestianni categorically rejected the allegation:
“I wanna clarify that at no time did I direct racist insults to Real Madrid player Vinicius Jr — who has regrettably misunderstood what he thought heard from me.”
The 19-year-old Benfica player (currently on loan or recently transferred) continued:
“I was never racist with anyone and I regret the threats I received from Real Madrid players.”
Prestianni’s statement emphasizes that the perceived insult was a misunderstanding of what was said or heard during the heated moment. He expressed regret over the subsequent threats he claims to have received from members of the Real Madrid squad.
The incident has reignited broader discussions about racism in football, the responsibility of players to avoid inflammatory language, and the challenges of interpreting comments amid high emotions on the pitch or sidelines.
Neither Real Madrid nor Vinícius Júnior has publicly responded to Prestianni’s statement at the time of this report.
The matter is likely to draw further attention from fans, media and anti-racism campaigners in both Argentina and Spain, given the sensitivity around racism allegations in European football.
