FIFA Disciplinary Panel Extends Ban on Gianluca Prestianni for Global Reach

UEFA suspended the Benfica forward after claims that he insulted Real Madrids Vinicius Junior in their February Champions League knockout encounter, a contest Real Madrid claimed with a 1-0 scoreline.

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has decided to extend the six-match ban imposed by UEFA on SL Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni to have worldwide effect," a FIFA representative shared with Reuters.

"The sanction has been extended in accordance with article 70 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code."

This global application, sought by UEFA, implies that if selected for the national squad, Prestianni will sit out Argentinas opening two World Cup matches.

It applies to UEFA club tournaments and official international fixtures, excluding exhibition games and national league contests.

The initial UEFA penalty consisted of a six-game ban for discriminatory behaviour, with three matches placed on probation. The young player had already fulfilled a one-game interim suspension by sitting out the return leg versus Real Madrid.

Nevertheless, the 20-year-old possesses limited senior international experience, having made only one outing for Argentina as a late replacement in a November exhibition match versus Angola.

Argentina begins its World Cup effort on 16 June against Group J rivals Algeria, followed by encounters with Austria and Jordan.