Gianluca Prestianni’s Benfica rise contrasts with Vinicius Junior’s €20m drop

Gianluca Prestianni has transformed his fortunes at Benfica since being accused by Vinicius Junior of making racist insults during a Champions League match, with the 20-year-old now attracting interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

The incident took place in February 2026 and placed the Argentina winger at the centre of an international storm. Nine months later, however, Prestianni’s performances on the pitch have become the focus, with his market value reportedly rising by 240%.

Prestianni has established himself as an important player for Benfica and recently underlined his form with a superb goal against Estrela Amadora last Sunday. His effort flew into the top corner as Benfica secured victory, with Pavlidis also finding the net.

He has scored seven goals and provided four assists in the Portuguese league this season. In the Europa League, he has added five goals and two assists, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.

His progress has also attracted the attention of Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, who included Prestianni in the squad for the current international break. Argentina are due to play friendlies against Uruguay and Costa Rica.

Prestianni had already made an impact during the previous international break, scoring once and setting up another goal against Burkina Faso. His immediate objective is to establish himself with the national team and demonstrate that he can excel against higher-level opposition.

According to the report, Benfica could consider selling Prestianni during the next summer transfer window for a fee approaching €100m. The programme Record na Hora said Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich could examine the possibility of signing him, potentially making the winger one of the leading names in next summer’s transfer market.

Vinicius’ fortunes have moved in the opposite direction during the same period. The Real Madrid forward finished last season with 22 goals and 14 assists in all competitions, but his start to the current campaign has been less productive.

He scored once and provided three assists in his first eight matches. His expected-goals rate fell from 1.05 to 0.59 per 90 minutes, while his shots on target dropped from 1.49 to 0.83, according to data from Opta and Squawka.

Those figures point to a decline in Vinicius’ attacking effectiveness and have contributed to sustained criticism of his performances. Real Madrid’s form also improved significantly in his absence after he was suspended for four matches following his dismissal against Villarreal.

The contrast between the two players is reflected in their market values. Transfermarkt data shows Prestianni’s value has increased by about 240% since the February 2026 incident, while Vinicius’ has fallen from €150m to €130m.

That represents a €20m decrease, or 13.3%, highlighting the sharply different paths taken by the two players since their controversial meeting.