The incident occurred in the second half of the game, immediately after the only goal of the match, scored by Vini, when the Brazilian international signaled to the referee that he had been subjected to racist abuse from Prestianni, an Argentine player for Benfica. After a dialogue between the refereeing team, UEFA delegates, and the captains of both teams, the match was temporarily suspended, following the anti-racism protocol.
After resuming, the game lost fluidity, with Benfica trying to react and search for an equalizer, but failing to create clear goal-scoring opportunities. Real Madrid opted for a more cautious approach, managing their narrow lead until the final whistle.
the end of the meeting, the controversy ended up dominating attention, pushing the sporting result into the background. The case will now be analyzed by UEFA disciplinary bodies, while Benfica goes into the second leg in Madrid at a disadvantage, where they will be required to win in order to keep their hopes alive in the knockout stage.
