Real Madrid have confirmed they have provided UEFA with 'all available evidence' regarding the alleged racial abuse of Vinicius Junior during Tuesday's Champions League match against Benfica in Lisbon.
The Brazilian forward reported to referee Francois Letexier that he had been subjected to racist comments by a Benfica player, identified by Real Madrid as winger Gianluca Prestianni.
UEFA opened a disciplinary investigation into the incident on Wednesday, and Real Madrid have now issued a statement detailing their cooperation. The club said they are grateful for the support Vinicius has received and reiterated their commitment to eradicating racism from sport.
In a social media post after the match, Vinicius criticised the response to the abuse, stating that 'racists are cowards' and that he received a yellow card for celebrating a goal while the protocol to address racism was poorly executed.
Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni has denied making any racist comments, sharing a statement on Instagram in which he rejected the allegations.
