Benfica Fined by UEFA Over Fan Racism at Real Madrid Match

UEFA Imposes Fines on Benfica Following Racist Abuse Incident

Benfica, a Portuguese football club, has been fined €40,000 ($46,000) by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for “illicit chants and gestures” made by two supporters during a Champions League game against Real Madrid. The incident occurred on February 17 in Lisbon.

The UEFA investigation found that fans at the Estadio da Luz Stadium displayed monkey gestures after Real Madrid’s 1-0 win in the first leg of the Champions League knockout playoffs round. The game was halted for nearly 10 minutes due to a confrontation between Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni and Real Madrid forward Vinícius Junior.

Prestianni, who denied making an alleged racist comment towards Vinícius, pulled up his jersey to cover his mouth during the incident. UEFA has launched an investigation into this separate charge against Prestianni, which is ongoing.

Additionally, five Benfica fans were previously suspended for “inappropriate behaviour in the stands of a racist nature”. The club must serve a one-year probation period to avoid having part of the stadium closed at future European competition games.

Source: Al Jazeera