Uefa dismissed an appeal by Benfica against a suspension handed to Gianluca Prestianni, according to the Portuguese Football Federation. The 19-year-old winger received a one-match ban following a straight red card during the first leg of the Champions League knockout tie. The incident occurred in the second half of the match at the Estadio da Luz, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Benfica argued the dismissal was excessive and sought to have the card overturned or the penalty reduced. Uefa's appeals body reviewed the footage but decided to uphold the original decision, per reports in A Bola. Prestianni is now ineligible for the return fixture against the Spanish giants in Madrid.
The Argentine joined the Lisbon club from Velez Sarsfield for £9m and has established himself as a regular in the starting line-up. Manager Bruno Lage must now find a replacement for the second leg as Benfica attempt to reach the quarter-finals. Real Madrid host the decisive match at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday evening.
