Former English footballer, Micah Richards has criticised Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni for covering his mouth while allegedly racially abusing Real Madrid forward Vinícius Jr.
The match between Benfica and Real Madrid at the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, was halted for 10 minutes after Vinícius reported racial abuse by Prestianni to referee François Letexier. Vinícius and his teammates temporarily left the field in protest.
Replays showed the Argentine footballer lifting his jersey to cover his mouth while speaking to Vinícius Jr.
‘He called Vinícius a monkey’ – Mbappé alleges racist remark by Benfica’s Prestianni
Reacting to the incident, Richards, speaking as a pundit on CBS Sports Golazo, challenged Prestianni to publicly reveal what he said.
He questioned why the Benfica player covered his mouth before making the remark, labeling him a “coward.”
“Let’s see how big of a man Prestianni is, tell us what you said. You must have said something because you can’t go to Mbappé and say you didn’t say anything. If you didn’t say anything, why did you cover your mouth? Or do you have a cold?” Richards asked.
Meanwhile, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has launched a probe into the case, with possible sanctions expected if Prestianni is found guilty.
Watch the video below:
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