“Prestianni is being crucified as a racist person, and I can guarantee that he is not,” stated Rui Costa, also clarifying why the club took so long to comment. “The reason why the president spoke at the end of the week has to do with a process that was ongoing and it didn’t make sense to speak until there was a decision. I was expecting something definitive, but in the end, there was only this provisional suspension.”
The president commented on the player’s suspension and the UEFA’s decision. “We filed an appeal because we understand that nothing has been proven. It does not justify the player’s absence from this match. We also expected UEFA to look into another case at the Luz, where there was a clear act of aggression by Valverde that should have resulted in a suspension,” he emphasized.
Asked about the incident with Vinícius Júnior, Rui Costa said, ‘I wasn’t on the field to know what was said. What I can say is that I believe in my player and that Prestianni is not a racist. We all talked; it’s a human situation, but it doesn’t undermine Benfica as an antiracist club,’ he stated.”
Rui Costa also addressed the aspirations of Benfica in the Champions League. “We started this competition very poorly, and when everyone had written us off, we had a brilliant finish. The victory at home against Real Madrid was brilliant, but now we are in a difficult situation. Our aspirations remain unwavering, and we will do everything possible to continue in the competition,” he concluded.
