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Benfica deny claims Gianluca Prestianni admitted to racially abusing Vinicius Jr

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Benfica have strongly refuted claims that Gianluca Prestianni confessed to racially abusing Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.

Portuguese media reports suggested the Argentinian winger admitted guilt to his squad but the club firmly stated this was untrue.

Prestianni himself denies the accusation.

“Benfica categorically denies that player Prestianni communicated to the squad or the club’s management that he had uttered a racist insult against Real Madrid player Vinicius Junior,” said a statement.

“As has already been made public, the player apologised to his team-mates for the incident that occurred during the match against Real Madrid, regretting its magnitude and consequences and assuring everyone, as he has done from the very beginning, that he is not racist.”

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Prestianni was provisionally suspended for Wednesday’s Champions League play-off defeat against Real after Vinicius alleged he was racially abused by the Argentinian in the first leg.

Vinicius Junior, who alleged Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni racially abused him, scored the winner at the Bernabeu as the Portuguese club were eliminated from the Champions League 3-1 on aggregate
Vinicius Junior, who alleged Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni racially abused him, scored the winner at the Bernabeu as the Portuguese club were eliminated from the Champions League 3-1 on aggregate (Manu Fernandez/AP)

The Brazilian left the field and refused to return, resulting in a stoppage in play that lasted 10 minutes in Lisbon.

Benfica boss Jose Mourinho was roundly criticised for his comments about the incident after appearing to intimate the winger had brought any abuse upon himself with his goal celebration, saying “a stadium where Vinicius plays, something happens, always”.

On Wednesday evening, Vinicius Jr scored the winner as Real Madrid beat Benfica 2-1 on the night.

Benfica had levelled the tie when Rafa Silva bundled home from close range after 14 minutes.

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But the lead lead lasted only two minutes as Aurelien Tchouameni swept home superbly from the edge of the box for his first Champions League goal.

The contest was still finely balanced when Vinicius broke through 10 minutes from time and stroked the ball home for a 3-1 aggregate victory.

Real Madrid fans displayed anti-racism banners before kick-off – and ultimately it was the Brazilian who had the final word as the Spanish giants reached the last 16 of the Champions League.

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Man City 115 charges delay subject of fiery rant as Premier League blasted La Liga chief

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La Liga chief Javier Tebas has criticised the Premier League over its handling of Manchester City’s 115 charges case and warned new financial rules will cause transfer market inflation

La Liga president Javier Tebas has launched a scathing two-pronged attack on the Premier League, including their handling of Manchester City’s 115 charges case. Tebas branded it a “failure” that Manchester City‘s case remains unresolved more than three years after the club were charged with 115 alleged rule breaches.

Tebas also cautioned that the Premier League’s revised financial regulations will trigger significant transfer and wage inflation throughout Europe. This came as Premier League chief executive Richard Masters once again dodged the City question, stating: “I can’t talk about it and talk about the timing of it. Having spent three years not talking about it, I’m not going to stop now obviously.”

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Tebas, however, pulled no punches over the Premier League’s timeline of the City case, particularly given that Everton, Nottingham Forest, and, most recently, Leicester City, were dealt with swiftly and handed points deductions.

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Tebas said: “It’s a failure of Premier League governance. Other clubs are looking at and watching this and seeing what’s going on. They are being fined and having points deductions and that’s fine, if you don’t abide by the rules

“But City appear to have impunity. I speak to a lot of English clubs and the majority of them don’t understand this either. “It makes the institution of the Premier League weaker.”

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The tribunal examining City’s alleged 115 violations of Premier League financial regulations was wrapped up in December 2024, yet the independent commission continues to deliberate over its verdict. Tebas, speaking at the FT Live’s Business of Football Summit, also launched a scathing attack on the Premier League’s financial regulations and spending rules.

Top-flight clubs voted to replace the existing Profitability and Sustainability Rule with a new Squad Cost Ratios system from next season. Clubs will be permitted to allocate up to 85 per cent of their seasonal revenues on wages and transfers, with the option to stretch this to 115 per cent, provided they balance their books within three years.

Tebas said: “In Spain, we have special and strict rules on Financial Fair Play, FFP is what everyone has to apply at home. You can’t spend more than our revenues.

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“But then new regulations here will cause more inflation and more problems. If you allow clubs to spend 85 per cent of revenues but aren’t taking into account expenses, no fair play rules are of any use at all.

“English football has got the highest turnover, revenues double the amount of Spanish League or Bundesliga. Clubs have twice the capacity to invest of any other league.

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“We cannot compete financially, We can sign better players and have better coaches but they have these enormous capital contributions from the owners.

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“What will happen to the market? It’s not rocket science. The English system of 85 per cent SCR plus transfers, which means clubs can go to 115 per cent of revenues, that will cause inflation, I’m sure about that.

“I don’t know where they get these figures from. I’m really surprised. We should harmonise FFP in Europe, that’s the way forward.”

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Ceolwulf’s 2026 Verry Elleegant Stakes bid relies on Sydney track conditions

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Conditions dictated by Sydney’s forecast will shape whether Ceolwulf stands a chance of upstaging champion mare Autumn Glow in the Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick, per trainer Joseph Pride.

Solidly backed at $1.30 to claim a 10th successive win Saturday, Autumn Glow’s favouritism is endorsed by Pride.

Pride qualifies his view by noting potential from heavy predicted rain, granting Ceolwulf upset potential on a substantially rain-affected surface.

“I’m not even thinking about winning chances because honestly, if that mare shows up with what she did the other day, you’re probably not going to beat her at this stage of the preparation for us, with no blinkers and so early on,” Pride said.

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“His best chance of running really well would be if the track is wet, so I’ve got my eye on that.

“That’s probably what punters want to hear from me, ‘is there a chance your horse could win? Well yes, but it would have to be wet, I would think’.”

Running at Randwick provides Pride with solace for Ceolwulf.

An absence marked last year’s Verry Elleegant Stakes (1600m) due to misfortune, while a fortnight ago post-Apollo Stakes (1400m) nostril blood raised ban fears of three months.

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Post-race scoping disproved internal issues, pinpointing a nose vessel break for Ceolwulf.

Approval came from stewards for continuation, Pride affirming seamless training.

“As soon as I scoped him, I felt like he was entitled to be here, but going back to two weeks ago when I saw him post-race, it is a massive relief,” Pride said.

“He didn’t miss a walk. He missed nothing.”

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Holder of three Group 1 Randwick mile successes, Ceolwulf thrives later in preps, so Pride eyes strong contention Saturday.

“Hopefully the first four or five and I’ll be happy. That will be box ticked going forward and I’ll know that he is on track. But I’m very happy with him.”

Rain would suit Liverpool City Cup (1300m) entrants Coal Crusher and Cool Jakey from Pride’s barn, both rain lovers, with Gatsby’s primed for the finale.

“I’m very happy with that horse,” he said of Gatsby’s.

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“He’s had a real change in his attitude and he’s going well. He has put in three good, honest runs for me, and he’ll go really well on Saturday.”

Discover racing betting markets ahead of the Verry Elleegant Stakes.

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AEW World Champion MJF shockingly pulled from upcoming show; statement issued

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One of AEW’s top stars and champions, Maxwell Jacob Friedman, was scheduled to appear at a Canadian independent show. However, The Wolf of Wrestling has seemingly been withdrawn from the event, and the company hosting it has issued a statement on the matter.

MJF has had a target on his back ever since he reclaimed the All Elite Wrestling Men’s World Championship last year at Worlds End. He mounted his first successful defense of the belt in the company against Bandido at Dynamite: Maximum Carnage last month. Although he suffered an upset loss to Brody King in an Eliminator earlier in February, he retained the belt against the former Hounds of Hell member at AEW Grand Slam Australia 2026.

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Friedman has also put his “Triple B” on the line on the independent circuit, successfully defending it against Alec Price at Limitless Rumble 2026, and against Zilla Fatu at HOG No Turning Back a week ago. The self-proclaimed generational talent was scheduled to appear at Mystery Wrestling 23, a show organized by Canadian promotion Mystery Wrestling set for March 26 at the Midway Music Hall in Edmonton. The company has now announced on Instagram, however, that Friedman will not be able to show up at the event due to a scheduling issue.

“Due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict, MJF will no longer be appearing at Mystery Wrestling 23 on Thursday, March 26 at Midway Music Hall in Edmonton. Any fans interested in a refund may redeem them from their original point of purchase. We apologize for any inconvenience.” – said the announcement.

MJF will also be defending his strap on AEW’s upcoming pay-per-view next month.

Stipulation for MJF’s Revolution 2026 AEW title defense has been set

This week on Wednesday Night Dynamite, MJF and Adam Page met face to face to decide on the stipulation for their AEW Men’s World Title match at Revolution 2026. While The Cowboy opted for his signature match type, Texas Death, Friedman selected a one-sided No Disqualification stip which would allow him to use no-DQ privileges against his opponent, but not the other way around.

A coin toss was held to settle which stipulation would be made official for the pay-per-view, and MJF seemingly won said toss. However, when Page demanded that the coin be examined to rule out unfair tactics, it was revealed to be a double-sided one. Friedman was penalized by Tony Khan for this attempted deception, as it was then decided that his Revolution bout against The Hangman will be a Texas Death Match.

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Revolution 2026 match graphic for MJF vs Hangman Page [Source: @AEW on X]Revolution 2026 match graphic for MJF vs Hangman Page [Source: @AEW on X]
Revolution 2026 match graphic for MJF vs Hangman Page [Source: @AEW on X]

Notably, if The Devil manages to beat Page next month, the so-called “Main Character” of AEW will never challenge for the World Title again, as per his own words.