Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior has called for lifetime bans for anyone found guilty of racism in football, speaking amid the ongoing investigation into alleged racial abuse of Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior by Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni. The Portuguese club has defended Prestianni, claiming a "defamation campaign" while manager Jose Mourinho accused Vinicius of provoking the incident.

UEFA has appointed an ethics inspector to investigate the Champions League match incident, with the process potentially taking up to three weeks. Prestianni faces a minimum 10-match ban from European competition if found guilty. Rosenior, who has personally experienced racial abuse, emphasized that authorities must take a firmer stance against discrimination in the sport.

The incident marks another chapter in Vinicius's ongoing battle with racism in Spanish football. The Brazilian forward has repeatedly spoken out about abuse he's suffered inside stadiums, with three Valencia fans previously jailed for eight months in 2023 for racially abusing him during a LaLiga game. Real Madrid has provided "all available evidence" to UEFA as the investigation continues.