Pointed out by Vinicius and defended by Mourinho months ago, now it is back on everyone’s lips

The general public discovered Gianluca Prestianni (20) for an episode that transcended football: the confrontation with Vini JR in the Benfica-Real Madrid Champions League match, last February. Nine months later, the Argentine has turned the page: his performance in Lisbon once again places him in the showcase of the big European clubs.

That episode marked a before and after in his still short career. Prestianni was accused by Vinicius of uttering racist insults, something the Argentine denied, although UEFA subsequently imposed a six-match ban on him for discriminatory conduct, three of which were suspended. José Mourinho came to his defense and maintained his support even after the punishment was announced. The repercussion of the case reached the regulations: FIFA introduced a rule for the World Cup that contemplated the expulsion of footballers who covered their mouths during a confrontation with an opponent. Miguel Almirón was the first player sent off for this circumstance.

Now, however, Prestianni is once again making headlines for strictly football reasons. The winger is having a spectacular season with Benfica, where he has accumulated 12 goals and six assists in 20 official matches. Its growth has also been rewarded internationally. Lionel Scaloni has incorporated him into his plans with Argentina.

His explosion has not gone unnoticed in the offices of the greats. According to information from Portugal, Bayern Munich is still closely monitoring his development, while PSG would also be considering pursuing his signing. Benfica has the upper hand: Prestianni has a contract until June 2029 and, according to journalist Pedro Sousa, his departure could reach 100 million euros.

At just 1.66 meters tall, Prestianni is a short, electric and tremendously unbalancing winger. His speed, change of pace and dribbling ability make him a particularly difficult player to defend one-on-one. Right-footed, he can act on both wings and stands out for his ability to overwhelm, drive inwards and create danger for both himself and his teammates. To that ability to dribble, he has added this season a scoring production that is making him one of the most sought-after young attackers on the European scene. It has things from Ángel Correa, Atlético de Madrid legend and currently at River Plate.