UEFA has sanctioned Benfica with a partial closure of the Estádio da Luz for one year in European competitions, following “racist and/or discriminatory behavior by their fans” during the Champions League match against Real Madrid on February 17.
The decision was made by UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, which also imposed a fine of €40,000 on the Portuguese club, along with an additional €25,000 for the throwing of objects.
The ruling also includes a one-match suspension for Benfica’s assistant coach, Pedro Luis Ferreira Machada, in UEFA competitions due to his “unsportsmanlike conduct” during the game against the Spanish side.
The partial closure covers 500 seats in sectors 10 and 11 of the south stand, though the sanction is suspended under a one-year probation period.
The match on February 17, which Real Madrid won 1-0, was marred by an alleged incident in which Vinícius Jr. accused Argentine player Gianluca Prestianni of racially insulting him. Prestianni was subsequently provisionally suspended by UEFA for one match, causing him to miss the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, where José Mourinho’s team lost 2-1 and was eliminated from the competition.
On February 27, the Portuguese club announced the suspension of five of its members for racist behavior during the encounter.