The 'Prestianni case' takes a new turn following declarations from Jose Mourinho. While he initially staunchly defended Argentine footballer Gianluca Prestianni, the Portuguese's shift in tone suggests that Vinicius's accusations of racism might be true.

"I don't want to wear the white shirt of Real Madrid or the red of Benfica. If Prestianni is guilty, I won't look at him the same way again, and he's finished with me," Mourinho declared in the pre-match press conference ahead of the encounter against Gil Vicente.

Mourinho issued a stern warning to Gianluca Prestianni: "If my player did not respect these principles, which are mine and Benfica's, his career with a coach called Mourinho and at a club like Benfica comes to an end."

"The presumption of innocence is a right, but I have to preface it with many 'ifs'. If they want me to repeat that I condemn it 20 times, I will. If the player is truly guilty, I will never look at him as I have done, but I have to add many 'ifs' first," he affirmed.

Mourinho also clarified some remarks made by Alvaro Arbeloa: "I love Alvaro and will continue to love him, but I believe I was the one who made the correct decision, not him. I commented on this in the press conference in Madrid, when I was confronted with Alvaro's statements regarding the accusation against Gianluca Prestianni and the defence of the Real Madrid player."

Another controversial topic from the tie was the exchange of shirts between Sidney Lopes Cabral and Vinicius himself, which drew significant criticism in Portugal. "The shirt issue could have been avoided. It's normal and common for players to exchange shirts, especially in important matches. It could have been avoided given what happened during the week," the Portuguese coach stated.

Finally, Mourinho addressed his future after media linked him with a potential return to Real Madrid: "You are all good professionals, but sometimes things slip your mind. After the issues surrounding the Real Madrid matches, you latched onto the idea that I had lost the opportunity to return. Do you think I could say no to Florentino Perez if he wanted me back at Real Madrid? I have many flaws, but do you think I'm foolish? I was objective in stating I wanted to stay. It was I who hinted that I wanted to stay at Benfica, but you didn't understand. I want to stay and respect my contract with Benfica."

G. Prestianni

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